Arc-Angel
by KtyouVsWriting
Summary: Sometimes, the best heroes are not born from the perfect places in life. Sometimes, they are born from the most questionable places in life. Sometimes, the best heroes are not normal. Sometimes, they are anything but normal. Sometimes, the best heroes are not able to be alone forever. Sometimes, they need a team to remind them that they are not alone. Angels are no different.
1. Chapter 1: Abandoned

Chapter 1: Abandoned

"Jaune! Where are you?"

Jenette Arc called out to her little brother as she tried to find him in their rather spacious house. It had to be granted that there were a lot of them. Jenette just happened to be the oldest of all of her sisters and only brother at fifteen years of age. And as the oldest sister and having a brother being the youngest of them all, she worried about him.

The reason she was looking for him was because of one reason: she hadn't seen him all day, and he was nowhere to be found so far. That did a little more than worry her.

Jaune was never one for attention, simply enjoying family company the most and being shy around anyone else.

Jenette stopped in the middle of the hallway and began to take deep breaths. She was overthinking this one too much. It was a simple thing she was doing, but the way she was going about it was wrong.

"Jenny," a voice called out to her. "Any luck?"

The eldest Arc child turned to see the technically-third-oldest sibling, better known as Grace. She was the most energetic of the Arc children. And because she was helping Jenette with this task of finding their brother, she was helpful. If only her energy could always be directed so easily.

"Nothing," Jenette said. "You?"

"Still looking. Little bro's really good at hide-and-seek," Grace grinned, "But we'll find him."

"So you checked his room," the eldest asked.

"Yep. Also checked our rooms," Grace replied. "Even checked mom and dad's room."

Jenette frowned as she considered where else he could be. If he wasn't in any of their rooms, then the places where he could be were limited. He couldn't be in the living room nor could he be in the dining room otherwise he'd have been found quickly.

He likely wasn't in the training room either as nobody was there right now. He didn't like the basement because he was sorely afraid of dark places. And he wasn't likely in the weapons room either. He wasn't yet ready to hold a weapon.

As she listed out the rooms that he couldn't be in, it began to dawn on Jenette's features that there was one possibility that she hadn't considered, and she mentally cursed herself for not thinking of it before.

 _Jaune, you clever boy,_ she silently remarked. _You are good at this._

"I'm going to check outside," Jenette said to Grace. "You keep looking inside."

Her younger sister gave an eager nod and ran off to check the other unaccounted rooms. The eldest sister took off, taking care to not break anything along the way. The last thing she needed was to get scolded later for being careless.

Once she was out the door, Jenette carefully scanned her house was a bit secluded from the rest of the village, and surrounded by forest. If Jaune was out here, then she would have to to check a few likely places where he could be.

The first of those places would be the shooting range strangely enough. It was the easiest seeing as it was one of the few open areas near the house. Unfortunately for her, easy was not going to play nice with her today, as he wasn't there.

"Jaune," she called out. "You out here?!"

The next thought Jenette had was to check the obstacle course. He often was here watching his sisters train. He wanted to be just like them when he grew up and no amount of babying and coddling would change that boy's mind.

He wasn't there either. It was a desperate thought at best but Jenette didn't like to leave stones unturned.

How about the shooting range? Again, not likely a place he would be, but she need to see for herself.

A quick sprint along a well-worn pathway took her to a place lined up with dummies meant for target practice. All of them needed to be replaced because they sported numerous holes and burns and scars. It was sheer luck that they held together as well as they did.

A search of the area proved to be just as fruitless as the previous places searched. At this point, Jenette was beginning to panic. Jaune could've gotten lost in these woods seeing as whenever he came out here, it was with one of his sisters or their parents.

The panic only served to fuel Jenette's desire to find him.

"Jaune," she cried out. "Where are you?!"

The sound of a branch snapping brought her head up and she quickly tried to trace the source of it. Her footsteps quieted down to whispers as she carefully made her way to the source.

"I'm right here," a small voice called out.

Normally, the eldest sister wouldn't be scared but such a small voice but she was tense with anticipation and worry that she was easily caught off guard.

"JAUNE," she jumped back in shock.

"Sorry, Jenny," he said. "Did I scare you?"

"You know better than to go here without one of us," Jenette scolded, recovering quickly. "Don't ever do that again. What were you doing out here?"

"Hide and seek," he squeaked.

"Jaune," she sighed. "What were you really doing out here?"

"Being quiet and secretive," Jaune protected. "I wanna train to be a quiet huntsman and kill the bad Grimm when they can't see me."

"Jaune," she sighed. "You're still a little kid. You're too young to be thinking about that. Besides, it's not all fun like in the stories. Grimm are nasty business."

"But I wanna do it," Jaune protected. "I wanna be a hero."

Jenette couldn't help but feel a small smile come to her face. Jaune truly was selfless even as a small child. And if the eldest Arc sister had to guess, he was likely to grow up with that same selflessness and give it to anyone in need. And that served only to reinforce her love for him.

And that's why she couldn't find it in her heart to crush his words.

"Well how about this," Jenette took his hand. "How about we practice with mom and dad watching."

"But they won't let me become a huntsman," he whined. "They say it's too dangerous."

"You'll grow up," Jenette encouraged.

"Really," Jaune looked up hopeful.

There was that same look that try as she might could not find it in herself to deny.

"One day," she said. "One day."

With that, she led Jaune back to the house. As they caught sight of the house, Jaune found himself caught in between the two second-born twins, Grace and Ashton.

"Jaune," they both cried simultaneously. "You scared us all."

"Sorry," he looked crushed. "I didn't mean to."

They set him down after a moment and Ashton kneeled to meet Jaune's eyes.

"Jaune," the first twin said. "We love you to death. If anything it's our fault for letting you out of our sight."

"And speaking of that," Jenette looked to the twins. "I thought it was your turn to watch him."

"It was," Grace look sheepish. "We kind of got caught up doing something else."

"Do you want to give mom and dad a heart attack," Jenette crossed her arms.

"Sorry Jenny," Ashton raised her hands. "Won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't," Jenette warned. "Because my anger will be the least of your problems.

"Don't be mad at them, Jenny," Jaune pleaded. "It's my fault."

The eldest sister casually moved some strands of her dirty blond hair to her right side before facing her little brother.

"Jaune," she chuckled. "It's okay. I thought I told you that."

The twins grabbed Jaune's hands to show that they didn't fault him, and he looked at all three of his sisters.

"Okay," he said timidly.

"Now how about we play a game," Grace suggested.

"Tag," Jaune blurted out with a suggestion.

"A much more preferable thing to be doing," Jenette smiled. "So who wants to be it?"

* * *

 **Location Classified**

"Is this truly wise, sir?"

Colonel James Ironwood stood with a scroll in his hands as he looked at the portrait of the young boy that adorned the screen. The boy was six years of age, and the son to two of the most well-known hunters in all of Remnant.

"It's not a matter of wise," James said. "It's a matter of preserving peace and protecting the innocent."

"But there is no war going on sir," Lieutenant Holden Jennings pressed.

"Not yet," the colonel said immediately. "But if our intelligence reports are correct, there will be."

"Jacob Arc and Gina Arc will hunt us to no end," the lieutenant continued. "They are overprotective of their children. Do you remember what happened when someone last tried to hurt their eldest child?"

Colonel Ironwood gazed at the officer with a neutral expression.

"You know what we have to perfectly well. And we all agreed that it is better to trade one life for the many. You know what you signed on for, lieutenant; why the hesitance now?"

James could understand his subordinate's unease towards their directive, and truth be told, the colonel too felt the same amount of disgust towards what he was doing. Unfortunately, this was necessary because if they didn't do this, many more lives would be lost. It was decided that this small sacrifice of morals was far outweighed by what it ultimately would do.

"I just don't see why our special forces can't handle this," Holden sighed. "Is our situation this desperate?"

"Believe me, lieutenant," James shifted the picture and displayed a dossier. "Special operatives aren't enough. Even a trained huntsman or huntress cannot occupy this role. The number don't lie, and that's why we are doing this, to create an ultimate soldier on that can exceed the best of the best."

At this point, the argument was pointless and Holden sighed lightly, not having anything more to argue with. He knew that this was the right thing to do, as ironic as the situation was. Doing the wrong thing in order to do the right thing never felt more sickening than this. Yes, it was part of the mission, and yes Holden had volunteered to be a part of it, but becoming a part of this seemed so different back when he first heard about it.

The details were specific and clear when he was told to read everything that was entailed. That had been a week ago. Now a week later, after having read all of the report detailing the mission, he felt just slightly disturbed by it. The logic was sound in that it created a warrior that few could rival, but what was entailed was extreme, perhaps even brutal.

However, this wasn't merely a mission that was weeks or months long. This was expected to take at least a decade. And ultimately, the end wasn't actually clear. There was only an estimation of the time frame.

Lieutenant Jennings could list a few more things that didn't bode well with him, but there was no turning back, and he'd have to live with the consequences of this choice forever in his mind. So he might as well do his duty and hope that he could somehow atone even just a little bit.

"When do we proceed with the first phase," Holden put his hands behind his back.

"We have just received the green light," James finished his reading of the information. "Our operatives are in place awaiting the order."

Putting the scroll down, Colonel Ironwood turned to the lieutenant, who still stood at full attention, with no slack in his posture.

"We have our work cut out for us, Lieutenant Jennings," the colonel spoke. "Make sure everything's ready."

The officer saluted crisply before turning to leave quietly and briskly to do as he was commanded. James then proceeded to stare out of his office window at the countless machines of war that stood outside.

 _May Monty Ou_ _m forgive us._

 **Hello readers out there. I'm back with another story. This story was inspired by many different sources. And Jaune's character will be OOC to be certain with some of his trademark quirks.**

 **Because this is my first RWBY story, I want to first write a pairing that I feel I know the best right now. I think that as I write this story, my own understanding of all the characters will change and that will inspire me to write non-canonical pairings.**

 **To my new readers and old readers, if you loved this chapter, leave me with a review. If you hated it, I want to know why. And any feedback and ideas are greatly appreciated. RWBY is still a new universe to me.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and remember, as much as life demands that we work, take the time to step back and enjoy life however you can.**

 **Peace out!**


	2. Chapter 2: Clips The Wings

Chapter 2: Clips The Wings

 **Arc Household**

Today marked the beginning of summer. And that meant that the days were going to be filled with more time with the family all together. All of sisters could be home and he'd be able to spend more time with them.

Having seven sisters, for Jaune, was a great thing. They all offered him so much and he tried to be the best little brother they could have.

Jenette was away the most as the eldest sister. She was expected to become quite the huntress as she excelled at sword combat. At fifteen, she was training at Signal Academy where she had crafted her saber that she called Undying Requiem. Jaune didn't really know what that meant, but it sounded cool nevertheless.

To say that she was overprotective of Jaune was an understatement. Given the chance, she'd likely castrate anyone who even looked at Jaune the wrong way.

The second-born twins, both thirteen years old surprisingly had little interest in becoming huntresses, instead preferring to live more settled and normal lives. Ashton said she wanted to be a doctor and she'd already had a avid interest in science of all kinds. Grace was all about writing and literature and wanted to become a writer, having journals to write down ideas.

That being said, the twins were trained by their father and mother to be able to defend themselves. They knew enough in order to show pushovers who was boss when the situation called for it.

Grace and Ashton babied Jaune just as much as his mother and father did if not more than they did. Jaune couldn't recall a single time they'd ever been upset, mad, or annoyed with him, and he preferred to keep it that way.

The third-born, Jillian was also groomed to become a very promising huntress. She was just a year younger than the first twins. She had inherited one of the Arc family weapons, the scimitar simply named Storm. Jillian had also developed a fiery attitude, completely unlike anyone in the family. Whenever something or someone upset her, she didn't hesitate to vocalize it.

She liked to tease Jaune a lot as the only brother that the Arc sisters, but it was good-natured, and in the end, she loved him just as much as the other sisters.

The second twins born, Lana and Amara were ten years old, and both were not really dead set on a path as their elder sisters were. They were just a bit lazy when it came to doing work, and their parents had been trying to stop them, but all attempts to get them to stop being lazy had been less than successful. And because of this, they loved to play games with their baby brother.

And then there was Miranda, the youngest sister at eight years old. She was still a kid, and she spent the most time with Jaune. She liked to tell him all sorts of stories and crazy adventure tails. That's likely where Jaune was getting his ideas of becoming a huntsman from. Jaune was always an attentive listener as she read to him or told him a story.

Not only would Miranda tell him stories, but she would always help him with things that he couldn't do, being the sister that spent the most time with him. She was teaching him stuff whenever his mother and father couldn't be there for him.

And now he was going to be able to spend time with all of them pretty much everyday. He could hardly wait for the fun to begin. It was so sad and boring when they weren't at home. As much as his mother and father were great company, Jaune wanted his sisters.

And unfortunately for him, he wouldn't be able to get to that fun until tomorrow. Curse the night time.

So it was great reluctance that Jaune found himself being tucked into his bed by his mother.

"But I'm not tired," Jaune protested. "Can't I stay up?"

"Jaune," she said. "What did I tell you about sleeping?"

"That everyone has to do it," he recited from memory.

"That's right," she smiled. "And if you don't sleep, you won't be ready to have fun tomorrow."

Jaune understood what his mother was saying, and he agreed quickly. No, he didn't want to be sleepy tomorrow. That would ruin the fun.

"Okay," he groaned. "But I still don't wanna."

"I know what you mean, son," she replied. "I was like you?"

"Really," he perked up.

"I always wanted to have fun as a kid," Gina explained. "I still do."

"What about daddy," Jaune perked up.

"Daddy does too," his mother acknowledged. "He's just busy a lot. We can't play with you and your sisters as much as we'd like to."

"But remember Jaune," she met his eyes. "No matter what we do or what happens, you will always be our son. We love you very much."

"And my sisters too," Jaune asked.

"Them too," his mother affirmed. "They love you just as much as we do."

"Okay," he smiled. "Good night mama."

"Good night, baby boy," she kissed his forehead. "Sweet dreams."

With silent footsteps, his mother made her way to the door. She gazed at him once more before closing the door quietly behind her.

Jaune touched a hand to where his mother had kissed him. What would he do without his mother, he wondered.

Happy and content, Jaune began to shift in his bed to find his ideal sleeping position. He preferred to sleep on his sides, but he didn't favor one side over the other. So he shifted from left to right until he found that side that felt right tonight.

Once comfortable, he closed his eyes and tried to drift off. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep. What he said about not being tired was not fully true. He just didn't want to have to go to sleep, at least not a few minutes ago.

Now, he was out like a light, and having dreams about their entire family simply being together, the best kind of dream to have for the little boy named Jaune Arc.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

By the time all members of the Arc family had went to bed and had fallen asleep, it was well past midnight, and fast-approaching to one in the morning. The woods offered them a rather quiet and serene place to sleep and the family was seldom awakened by noises from the outside.

And that was why they failed to hear the quiet sounds of two infiltrators by their house, Every movement they made was so quiet that even ghosts would struggle to hear the two infiltrators.

No words were exchanged between them as they had already gone through the plan at least a dozen times, and having committed it to memory at this point. In addition, they had prepared for every possible plan alteration should everything not go according to the original plan.

It had been a rather tedious task but not a difficult task of mapping out the Arc home for the past two weeks. And the fact that someone was always at home kept the two operatives on their toes. Every door, every window, every secret entryway, and every room was mapped out and recorded onto a holographic mapping program.

Not only did the entire house have to be mapped, but sleeping patterns and habit were monitored. It wasn't perfect and a lot more details and facts would be useful. At best, they had a rough idea of how not to disturb anyone else.

Their target was located at one of the top bedrooms, and that meant the two of them were going to have to do some climbing. They had to be very careful here as any noise they made here. A wrong move here could very well cost them the mission and having to explain this to Colonel Ironwood would not be a pleasant thing indeed.

The two of them readied their climbing gloves and boots, looking to each other for an affirmative go. When this was established, they looked up at the wall they were about to scale. A simple climb compared to some of the more intense climbs that their training had prepared them for. They simply had to remain silent as the night around them was.

Operative Gabriel Hughes was the first to begin scaling. Once he began to climb about a quarter way to their target room, Operative Andy Bernard followed suit, keeping the same pace as his fellow infiltrator so he could detach from the climb more easily should they be spotted.

Hughes carefully maneuvered around two windows containing two of the sisters. Bernard did the same as his partner, taking a chance glance to see that the occupants of the room were definitely not conscious.

So far, so good.

The second set of windows to indicate another floor forced Hughes to once again weave his way around them, careful not to cause the moonlight to reflect off his clothes, despite the fact that he wore dark clothes. Seeing his partner doing this, Bernard quickly took to a similar maneuver, once again casting his eyes into the windows to see if they had been spotted, which they had not this time.

After scaling several yards of wall, Hughes reached their destination. About a minute later, his partner pulled up to the left side of the window.

The window was open fortunately for them, so it was with delicate hands that Bernard lifted up the screen separating the two agents from their objective. The window was open enough for one person to go at a time.

But before they could go, Hughes quickly attached a climbing rope to the wall and carefully threaded the rope through his hands until it hit the ground, the indication being that he could no longer feel his muscles straining against any weight.

Once the rope was set to go, Bernard quietly climbed through the window. The moment his feet hit the ground, he heard a soft child's groan. He froze in place and waited for any further noise. A bedsheet shifting around for a few seconds kept him on high alert. Only when he he heard silence again did he move forward.

Bernard reached into his belt and retrieve a small syringe readying it for use. His eyes on the target now, he moved forward with deliberate steps.

Jaune Arc was sleeping soundly in a single bed size. The boy looked like he was having a pleasant dream as a smile was plastered onto his face and it stayed that way. Bernard mentally sighed for a split second.

 _I'm sorry little Jaune,_ he thought. _But one day, you'll understand why we must do this._

Crushing any further thoughts of hesitance, he quickly covered the little boy's mouth before quickly inserting the syringe into his arm. The boy wasn't even able to get out a muffled scream as he returned to unconsciousness.

The sedative would wear off in approximately twelve hours for a child of this age. They had time, but regardless of that, he worked quickly.

He carefully fished a hand into his backpack to retrieve a harness meant for Jaune. Removing the bed sheets covering the boy, he set to strapping the harness on, double and triple checking to make sure it was securely on.

Once the harness was secured, he quickly flashed an acknowledgement to Hughes, who quickly moved to take Jaune off his Bernard's hands. The exchange had to be very careful. An injured child was going to cause a scolding. So making certain the window was open to the fullest, both of them carefully attached Jaune to the rope. The clip snapped into place, and they both tested it to be sure that the boy wouldn't be detached from it.

A slight sound was heard by both of them and they shifted their heads quickly to find out where the noise had come from.

Silence.

After a moment of affirmation from both partners, they quickly began the process of lowering the boy to the ground. Hughes kept a tight hold on the unconscious Jaune as he slowly descended the rope. As with going up, he he made certain to keep away from with windows to avoid shifting the moonlight and possibly alerting anyone.

Bernard quickly followed suit and climbed down with Hughes. Once down, they quickly tugged at the rope and detached it from the house. The mess fell with a subdued thud as they tried to minimize the sound.

Securing all of their equipment quickly, they took the boy and quickly bolted to the woods. The mission had gone off without a hitch.

 **Location Classified**

James Ironwood sat at his desk, his eyes threatening to close due to a lack of sleep. It wasn't healthy to be up this late, but he was expecting a report soon. He had given the order for Project Sapphire to commence.

The project was a serious gamble in Ironwood's opinion, and he wasn't about gambles; the colonel preferred concrete and certainty. Betting millions of lien on a single child that may or may not be the key to saving perhaps all of Remnant was a really far-fetched notion at face value.

Yet at the same time, it was understandable and logical as well.

James Ironwood had seen huntsman and huntresses in action, and they were truly a sight to behold. They could cut down scores of armed soldiers alone. They could slay Grimm by the tens of dozens. They were essentially a replacement for a fully-trained squadron of Atlas troopers. The huntsman were the key to keeping Grimm at bay.

But for all of their power and skill, they were not infallible. They were far from it in fact. If anything, there weren't enough hunters in the world. And they all had limits despite being the best warriors in all of Remnant. And in the end, they were only Human. Or Faunus in the case of others.

And speaking of the Faunus, the Human-like species was experiencing a time of radical change. It wasn't a surprise to anyone that Faunus were treated poorly by Humans, but it was becoming a problem as the Faunus grew in protests and in the intensity in which they did it. The White Fang was the most obvious and powerful front, but the council was worried that this peaceful group was a forerunner to an impending danger ahead.

So Project Sapphire was sanctioned when the Council of Atlas had decided that there was enough factors of danger that they required a warrior that could protect Atlas and Remnant from those that would do harm to either entity. The aim was to create the ultimate warrior that was a single powerful weapon that could quickly and effectively snuff out any threat big or small. In other words, a one-man army.

Literally.

Why they wouldn't allow more than one candidate also puzzled Colonel Ironwood, at least initially it did. After seeing all of the details and seeing the expenses for a single individual slowly made him realize why producing multiple warriors of this caliber was even more risky. He was probably exaggerating the possible losses because ultimately, a few million lien wasn't that much of a loss. Really, there was not a great amount to lose, but there was a great deal to gain.

The colonel sipped on his coffee as he continued to browse through his other various duties and tasks, which were many. In addition to being the overseer of Project Sapphire, he was also the leader of one of the scientific wings of the Atlas Military. As Atlas claimed to have the strongest military might in all of Remnant, it was always important to keep up-to-date with technology in all aspects of technology.

The primary focus now was to create an army that lessened the need for men to be on the frontlines. Cyborgs, robots, and virtual intelligences were the subject of heavy study in addition to power suits that could easily be the equivalent of a hundred men. Ironwood's division focused more on the actual technology and weapons that fought physical battles, but the colonel was always keeping himself appraised on any new technologies being considered for their forces.

James sighed a great sigh, Dealing with all of this was his job and although it was very arduous, it seemed to pale compared to what he had to do for at the project next ten years. Raising a warrior was practically the same as raising a child, but rather than a loving and caring environment, it would be a harsh and cruel one meant to destroy any innocent or hesitation.

He couldn't help but turn his thoughts to a certain huntress in that instant. Once, they might have been able to have a normal life, and maybe even a family, but then fate took a hand and their respective careers prevented anything from truly happening. Against his will, he pulled up a picture of her.

Brilliant green eyes, blonde hair, a small nose, and a smile that was very hard not to smile back at.

 _Enough of these stray thoughts,_ the colonel shook his head. _There's no use in thinking about what could've or might've been._

A slight ping on his scroll alerted him to the sound of a message coming through on his scroll. Quickly shaking his head in self-scolding, he allowed the image to fade and turned to see what the alert was.

Operatives Hughes and Bernard were calling in.

He quickly tapped the answer button. The familiar faces of the two operatives popped up, and they instantly saluted him. He did so as well.

"At ease," he said. "Was the mission successful?"

"Affirmative," Bernard replied. "Target acquired. All went according to plan, sir."

"ETA to arrival on base," Ironwood pressed.

"ETA, seven hours, sir," Hughes responded. "When we arrive, we'll still have four hours before the sedative wears off."

"Place him in his room," the colonel instructed. "When he awakens, the training begins."

"Yes, sir," Hughes said.

With that, the two operatives ended the call with a salute. Ironwood sat back in his seat. Now that he knew that they hadn't failed yet, now he could give himself a few hours of sleep. And he knew that he needed it really badly.

He got out of his seat, making some final checks on his scroll and mentally organizing his tasks for the next day, now included the first preliminary reports for the boy that was Jaune Arc.

Or to be more accurate, his code name: Arc-Angel

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune groaned as he felt an unfamiliar sensation against his back. His bed was strangely not comfortable, and even more so, he felt chilly. Why was he feeling like this? Wasn't it suppose to be summer?

He sat up and found that he could barely see anything at all. The only light source came from a very a light on the ceiling. It's illumination was very dim, and he could only make out a room with nothing in it but a small desk.

Wait, nothing in it? Jaune's room was filled with toys and cool stuff.

Jaune sat up, noticing that no part of the bed felt warm or welcoming. The padding was really stiff and not at all soft and squishy.

With the dim light, he began to unceremoniously try and find his way through his room, or what he believed to be his room. He wondered if his mother and father had changed something while he slept.

Jaune's head banged against the wall, and he cried out in pain, but he didn't fall over. He wanted to find out what in Remnant was going on.

So he put his hands out this time, finding the wall he had made contact with. It was metal, and cold. Jaune shivered before retracting his hand. If the walls were this cold, then he definitely wasn't in his room.

Then a loud sound filled Jaune's ears and the lights came on. He braced himself against the flashing light and what he thought to be a threat, but nothing happened.

Deciding to brave his fears, he opened his eyes, only to be blinded by a much-brighter ceiling light.

Then the sound of a door opening caught his attention. Squinting in the bright light, he struggled to see the person that came in. The large height immediately made Jaune think his father, but as the person came into view.

However, as his blue eyes adjusted to the light, he could immediately recognize that it wasn't his father. He couldn't be more wrong about who it was. Jaune couldn't even say he'd seen this man before.

"Good, you're up," he said. "I am Colonel James Ironwood."

Jaune tilted his head in wonder. Now he had a name to put to this new face, for whatever that was worth.

"I'm-"

"Jaune Arc," the man responded. "I know who you are."

"What," Jaune looked shocked. "H-How d-do you know w-who I am?"

"I know everything there is to know about you, Jaune," James replied. "And that is the reason why you are here."

"Here," Jaune asked timidly,

"You will know where we are soon," James said. "But first, before you do so, put these on."

From behind his back, the man pulled out some clothes and a pair of combat boots. Jaune looked at them and noted that they weren't brightly colored, and were simple shades of grey. It wasn't really that cool-looking, but Jaune didn't want to look ungrateful. So he carefully grabbed the clothes and boots.

"I'll be out here when you're ready," James turned and left the room, quietly closing the door.

Jaune looked at what he had been given. Then he looked to the closed door. What a strange thing.

He wasn't a bad man, that much Jaune could tell, but why was he here? What was going on? Where were his parents and sisters? Did they know about this? Did they want him to do this?

Realizing that the man outside was waiting, Jaune quickly put on what he was given. It fit him snugly. Jaune struggled to keep his laces together, but he eventually got it.

Feeling as ready as he could be, he reached for the door, opening it to find his newest acquaintance still there.

"Good," he nodded. "This look fits you."

"Thank you, sir," Jaune said nervously. "So what now?"

"Walk with me," the man beckoned for Jaune to follow

The hallways were stark and bare, with no decorations or any sort of things on the walls. The entire room looked like an empty box to Jaune. And that felt alien to Jaune.

The twists and turns were numerous, so much that Jaune had to wonder how it was that this colonel man even knew where he was going.

After what seemed like many hours, they approached another door. James opened it and waved his hand to indicated Jaune to go first. Getting the hint, Jaune surged forward.

The door closed behind them and Jaune took in the place before him.

This room was considerably less barren than the hallways and his own room that he'd waken up from. There were numerous pictures of different people alongside James, some serious, but not all. The left side, there were what the little boy recognized to be awards and distinctions. There were a lot of them. A single desk with a considerable amount of content was at the far end of the room, and behind the desk was a large window.

James walked to the window, and Jaune followed, seeing nothing else to do. Looking out the window, the little Arc couldn't help but gaze in amazement at what was outside.

They looked like robots and machines, all of them lined up in perfect order. Next to them were vehicles that Jaune hadn't ever seen before. And that was just scratching the surface of what he was seeing. There were so many of them, stretching out for as far as he could see.

"Impressive," the colonel said. "Isn't it?"

"Yes, sir," Jaune agreed without hesitation. "But I-I don't understand why I'm here."

A pause filled the air. which only served to make Jaune more curious. He waited expectantly for an answer.

The man turned to face him.

"You are here for one reason," he spoke. "You have been chosen to become the guardian of Remnant, the protector of the world."

Jaune lit up instantly, his body frozen as his mind processed the words. The protector of the world? Of Remnant? Him?

"And it pains me to say it, but you cannot go home,"

Couldn't go home?

"What," Jaune reeled back.

"This is how is has to be, Jaune," James explained. "You cannot go home to see you parents. This is your new home now, and you will be trained here. You will become a hero."

Jaune wasn't sure what to feel. How could he? On one hand, he was getting a chance to be what he wanted to be: a hero. Not a huntsman maybe, but a good person doing good things nonetheless.

On the other hand, he wasn't allowed to go home. He wouldn't be able to see his sisters and his parents. He wanted to see them. He loved them.

Jaune wanted to cry, but somewhere in his mind, a voice called out for him not to cry. No matter how much he did, it dawned on the little boy that he couldn't do anything about where he was now.

"But take heart," James continued. "You won't be alone. You'll have a partner."

Jaune raised his head and gave a solemn look to the man that was apparently in charge of him now. He had no words to say, and he didn't feel like trying to say something or think up of anything. He just stood there and stared out the window.

 _Not a single tear,_ Colonel Ironwood regarded the boy. _I have high hopes for you Jaune Arc._

 **Well, a little bit depressing, but I promise good things will happen.**

 **I'm rather surprised at how many people are already following and favoriting this story, seeing as it's my first RWBY story. I'm pleased to say that updates will be at a somewhat regular basis. Because I'm on break, I've got time to write, but I will be trying to get into a once-a-week chapter mentality.**

 **If you guys liked this chapter, let me know in a review, favorite, or follow. Anyone who didn't like this chapter can send feedback my way. And ideas are always appreciated. A basic plot has been mapped out but details are still in the designing stages.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, there is more to life than increasing its speed.**

 **Peace out!**


	3. Chapter 3: Cry In A Grave

Chapter 3: Crying In A Grave

Jaune followed Colonel Ironwood to their next destination. He was to start his training immediately. He didn't know what this training would mean. What kind of training did he have to do?

But Jaune wouldn't dare to ask questions. He felt scared to ask questions. Truth be told, he was frightened of this man. Although he didn't seem to harbor any sort of bad intent, Jaune wasn't certain, so he wouldn't do anything unless told to do so.

When they finally arrived at their destination, the little boy was dismayed to find a circular room with nothing of particular note. It was just a blank room with no windows and just are bland as the rest of the base.

"This is where we part ways for now," Ironwood said. "Good luck, Jaune."

As the man turned to exit the room, Jaune raised a final question.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"...survive," the colonel said.

Jaune felt a spike of panic, but before he could voice this, the door had already closed and he was left alone in a room. With no one else.

Jaune shivered.

Then the room started to shift, and some colors seemed to come from nowhere. Jaune couldn't make out anything coherent and ultimately, the blurs and patterns and chaos was too much for him to understand.

So he shielded his eyes from the visual confusion with his arms, just waiting for the swirling along the edges to stop.

And just as soon as it began, it was all over. All Jaune could see now was a bright light. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes again.

And was greeted by intense sunlight, forcing himself to shield his eyes away from the intense glare. Jaune braced himself for anything that he couldn't see.

When he finally had adjusted, he removed his hands from his eyes. And he was surprised to see a rather serene forest before him. It was just trees for as far as the eye could see, all of the pristine green in their leaf color. It made sense, after all. It was summer.

 _Huh,_ Jaune's brow furrowed. _Why am I here? How'd I get here?_

Looking around, he found that there were no buildings in sight, and there was no markers or indications for him to go anywhere. For a moment, that brought back a sense of fear.

Then another thought set in, one that his father had taught him.

 _Whenever you are lost in the forest, look for your own path. Knowing which way north, east, south, and west are is important_.

Jaune then thought to the sun and shadows. He was told that at noon, his shadow would be more or less straight with his body. That would give him some sort of indication as to which way north was.

At least he thought so.

Jaune took note of his shadow on the ground. It was far from straight, but Jaune could guestimate that north was somewhere to his left. That is, if he remember which way the sun rose and fell everyday. He cursed himself for not remembering that.

So Jaune settled on what he believe was north. He was surrounded by forest all around, and it was likely he would get lost real fast if he didn't stay on course. Not that he could possibly get any more lost than he already was. Jaune had no idea where he was.

So he took to making his way down the hillside, taking care to watch what he was stepping on despite the combat boots he was wearing. Jaune's pace was not quite a run, but not really a walk either. It was slow enough to take in the forest and allow him to use his senses to stay alert, but it was fast enough so that he wasn't dilly-dallying either.

Jaune, having grown up in the wilderness with his family was quite at home in this sort of environment. The birds chirping, the light wind rustling against his short hair, the smell of pine, the feel of leaves crunching against his boots, and the relative emptiness around him. Any animals that were nearby had likely buggered off at this point seeing as he was not one of them. But maybe he would be lucky enough to find an animal to gaze at here.

And speaking of an animal, Jaune's eyes turned to see a lone deer grazing on the grass. Thinking quickly so as not to be seen, he quietly dove behind a tree. Taking a deep breath, he slowly allowed one eye to gaze over the edge of his cover.

It was male given the antlers, and it continued to graze without a care in the world. Jaune had spent countless hours with his father watching these creatures as close as he could. The key was to be silent given that they hadn't seen you. So Jaune took a bit of dare and poked his head out a little further.

The deer stopped grazing and lifted its head up to take in its surroundings, but it did so rather quickly, like it sensed something. Jaune retreated back into the cover of the tree. Had it seen him? It was likely, but he'd been really quiet the whole time. So maybe it sensed him?

Then from nowhere, a loud growl came and there was a loud thud. From his cover, Jaune saw a dark creature leap from some unseen location and mercilessly claw the deer to death. Never before had he ever seen something so violent and so cruel done to a peaceful creature. It was undeserving, and Jaune felt disgusted.

But more prevalent was fear, fear for his own life. That thing had come from nowhere. What was stopping it from getting him next?

Jaune hid behind the tree and tried to stop the images that he saw. He tried to calm himself, but failing in doing so. He was now shaking with an uncontrollable twitch to his whole body.

What to do? What to do?! WHAT TO DO!?

 _Get out of here, that's what I should do._

But before he could even do that, Jaune's head shifted to see a pair of jaws and eyes staring at him with deadly intent. Jaune screamed for all he was worth before taking off.

He didn't stop to look back. Every part of his body told him to get the blazes out of there. Forget being quiet about it; running was the only thing to come to mind. The sound of paws against the ground caused him to push himself further despite the already burning sensation in his legs.

Jaune then noticed that there was a thick tree growth here and that forced him to pay attention as he ducked and weaved through the forest. He didn't want to slow down, but he didn't want to turn around or change direction. Just remaining on the same path was easier.

Jaune barely was able to get out of the way as a paw scratched the air where his head had once been. Jaune screeched in terror before jumping past another set of trees. Another slash missed his midsection by a hair length. Jaune quickly ducked under a fallen log as another overhead strike barely missed crushing him.

Jaune could feel his body begging him to stop and take a breather, but he wouldn't do it. His survival instincts were greater and forced him to shove down whatever exhaustion he was feeling. Just keep running until he stopped being chased. That was all his mind was telling him.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as the creature reached out a paw and quickly swatted him to the ground. Jaune tried to get up but was promptly held down by a clawed hand.

Jaune could now only look up as he saw two dead red eyes. And in that instant, Jaune recognized what this was.

A Grimm.

Raising its other free hand, it slashed down, intent on ending his own life. Jaune closed his eyes and waited for the pain.

And then it didn't. Also, the paw on his chest was suddenly gone. Jaune didn't open his eyes at first. as he was afraid to even dare.

But when nothing happened for a full minute, he decided that he couldn't wait any longer. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

And found that the Grimm was replaced by a man. He stood at attention with his hands behind his back. He wasn't quite as tall as the Ironwood man, but he was certainly bigger than the little boy by a lot. His hair was brown and short like his own. He wore the same outfit as Jaune, only tailored to his size.

"Trainee," the man barked. "Front and center."

Jaune didn't get up. He still looked shell-shocked. Where in Remnant did this person come from? Where was the Grimm that was about to...kill him?

"You deaf, trainee," the man shouted. "I said FRONT AND CENTER!"

Jaune hastily got up, standing straight with his hands at his sides.

"I am Lieutenant Jennings," he said. "You will do exactly as I say at all times. Is that understood?"

"Y-Yes, sir," Jaune stammered.

"Now tell me what happened," the man demanded.

"I r-ran," Jaune answered weakly.

"And why did you run," Jennings pressed. "Why didn't you fight back."

"I d-didn't have a weapon to fight with," Jaune answered. "All I could do is ru-."

"And that's where you went wrong, boy," Jennings cut him off. "You didn't fight back. You ran like a coward."

Jaune didn't say anything, the feeling of fear having left him. Now it was replaced with a sense of shame and guilt.

"Grimm can sense negative emotions," the man continued. "Fear, panic, chaos, hate, just to name a few. And that's why it could sense you. Understand?"

Jaune nodded mutely, but his head still swarmed with questions. Grimm could do that? They could tell what he was feeling? How come he'd never been told that?

"If you don't know how to fight an enemy, find a weakness. Or at the very least, hide and observe. Running does nothing for you."

Jaune didn't respond to the words, and that earned him a irked look from his newest chargee.

"You paying attention, trainee," the man growled.

"Yes sir," Jaune said loudly. "Grimm can tell if I'm afraid of them. If I don't know how to fight, find a way. Don't run. Ever."

The lieutenant regarded the boy very carefully through narrowed eyes that gave no hint of emotion whatsoever, and Jaune struggled not to flinch under the rather inhuman eyes.

Jaune breathed out a small sigh.

"We're not done yet trainee. Far from it. Now a hundred jumping jacks!"

"What," Jaune exclaimed.

"Did I make myself unclear," the man stepped forward threateningly. "A hundred jumping jacks! Double time!"

Jaune didn't even try to protest any further and quickly began jumping jacks as fast as he could.

"Sloppy," the man griped. "Proper form!"

Jaune felt a pain to his side and he fell to the ground in pain, holding his side. It hurt so much. He couldn't move. He let out a sound of distress.

"Did I say you could stop," Jennings shouted. "Get with the program boy. If you want to cry, do it when you're dead. Now get up!"

Jaune didn't move still and didn't stop his sobbing, remaining on all four trying to stop the pain. When he didn't respond to the man's orders, another pain on his back felled him to the ground. Now he was sprawled out unceremoniously.

"If you don't get up, trainee," the man threatened. "We can always do another hundred sit-ups and jog three miles around the forest."

Jaune instantly heard this and forced himself up and resumed his jumping-jacks from where he left off. This time he didn't slack off one bit as he tried to remain as straight as he could. By the time he completed the jumping-jacks, he was already onto the next exercise. His tears still fell, but he tried to stop any more from falling.

"A hundred burpees," Jennings pushed.

Jaune's mind vaguely knew what that was and he began to push himself harder. He didn't dare to slack off for fear of more training than he wanted to do. Already he could feel his muscles ache and crunch and scream in pain.

"No slacking! 29! 30! Hustle," Jennings yelled out.

Already Jaune's arms were struggling to even hold himself up in the push-up portion of the burpee. As he finished the last one, he could barely feel his arms.

"Sit-ups," the man announced. "We don't have all day trainee."

Jaune fell to the ground and complied robotically, The first five or so were okay, if a bit strained. His abdomen began to experience the same pain as his arms and legs, but again, he couldn't quit.

It was then that his entire body simply began to shut down entirely. Even if the exercises weren't targeting all muscles at once, it was just too much for the boy to take, and he collapsed.

Jaune expected at any moment to be hit for stopping, but he doubted that even he could do anything more than lay on the grass of the forest.

"Rest," the man said softly. "And drink this."

Jaune craned his neck up to see a canteen being offered to him. Ignoring the pain in his arms, the boy grabbed it and drank it with much greed. The extremely cold sensation mixed with the clear taste did wonders for him.

After downing the contents in one gulp, Jaune took another deep breath, trying to replenish his muscles with oxygen. The ground had never felt more comfortable in his entire life. And better yet, he was left in peace.

"This is just the beginning," his trainer spoke. "Now we jog."

So much for a well-deserved break. Jaune groaned lightly, but did as he was told.

"Follow the path trainee. You will stop when I tell you to."

Jaune's eyes followed the man's pointed finger to a vague pathway. How had he not seen that before? Jaune didn't question further and simply began to take off at a brisk pace, his muscles not quite as pressed as before, but still tired.

As Jaune settled into a running pace, he was finally able to take a look at the forest around him, now more alert than when he first came here. The last thing he wanted to do was to get jumped again by another Grimm.

By the time the two of them reached their destination, Jaune could only stop and take a few ragged breaths, his hands on his knees.

"Chin up, trainee," the lieutenant. "And listen carefully."

Jaune forced down his exhaustion and tried to appear attentive to the man's words, even if his attempt was rather poor.

"We're going to play a game now," Jennings spoke.

Jaune didn't really think that smiling or being excited with glee was the right response. So far, this entire training was anything but exciting, so he stuffed down his tiny glint of happiness.

"Do you see that pole," the man pointed up.

Jaune's eyes followed the finger to the very top of a very tall pole that stood isolated from any sort of trees and at the top, there was an arrow at the very top. Jaune didn't say anything, but then his mind was quick to realize what he was going to have to do.

Jaune groaned mentally, but dared not to show externally.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune had spent the better of an hour struggling at the game of trying to retrieve the item at the top, and eventually, he had found the best and most effective way to get the arrow.

By the time he got his feet flat on the ground again, Jaune was in no mood to be doing anything physical. It just was too much. And he was drained physically.

"That will all for now trainee," Jennings said.

The scenery around them began to change and swirl into the confusion Jaune had seen when he first came here. This time, Jaune didn't bother to shield his eyes as the forest returned to the blank circular room he had started in.

"Come with me," the man beckoned to the open door.

The travel to wherever they were going was done in silence. Jaune kept his posture straight and his head up, but he struggled to do even that. His entire body needed to just stop moving.

The lieutenant opened a door and waved Jaune in. He didn't go in with the boy and simply closed the door. Jaune would ask what would happen next, but the door closed before he could do so.

"Hi there," a little voice said.

Jaune turned around startled, his heart rate accelerating, and his body tensing up immediately. Someone else was here.

The boy turned his head to see something he didn't expect at all: a girl that appeared around his age. The first thing he noticed about her was her bright orange hair color coupled with big green eyes. Her smile plastered on her face was a real stark difference to the rather bleak and plain room they were in.

Jaune watched her for a moment, his fears having only been settled slightly. He wondered if she was merely there to test him just like everyone else was there to do.

"Who are you," he asked carefully. "Are you here to test me too?"

"I am Penny," she smiled. "And I am to be your partner."

Colonel Ironwood's words returned to him. So this was his partner that was mentioned. That made the boy lose his distrust and he breathed out a sigh.

"And you must be Jaune Arc," the girl deducted. "You are just in time to begin the lessons."

"Lesson," Jaune tilted his head. "In what?"

"School of course," Penny laughed. "Education is important."

If Jaune had been doing anything but physical exercise, he might've groaned in annoyance or boredom, but now after his intense workout for the morning, learning seemed like the best idea ever. So he didn't resist.

Taking one of the two seats that occupied the room, Penny sat down beside him, her looks of happiness not changing. As soon as they were both seated, the space in front of them lit up with a blue glow. Jaune could instantly see what appeared to be an open field depicted by the 3-D simulation.

"So I'll be teaching you about combat studies right now," Penny spoke. "If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask."

"Wait," Jaune perked his head up. "You're teaching me?"

"Certainly partner," she nodded. "I am programmed for educational purposes as well as combat."

"Programmed," Jaune puzzled.

"All explained in due time," she said. "But now, the lesson begins."

Jaune watched with interest as the simulation began to display a playback of some sort of battle or fight.

"What do you know about the the Great War that was eighty years ago," Penny asked him.

Jaune's mind thought back to the war stories told by his father about the Great War. The Arc family was a warrior name that stretched that far back and perhaps even more. It went without saying that the history of the family was knowledge that Jaune could talk about.

"It was fought over people being different," he said. "I think my dad called it 'individualism.'"

"That's right Jaune," Penny nodded. "There was a war fought over individualism, or the right to control yourself. The war sought to take away that control over oneself."

"Why," Jaune inquired. "That's a bad thing to do."

"There are bad people in the world, some of them that want to be hurtful to other people," Penny explained. "It is our duty as protectors of the world to bring them to justice."

She paused.

"Or kill them if we must."

Jaune didn't respond to the word 'kill' but he didn't like it. His dad had one explained to him what it meant, but he didn't really understand it. That is, until he saw the deer get mauled in the forest. Now, he was certain that was what kill meant.

"But killing is bad," Jaune pointed out. "Dying is bad."

"Yes it is," Penny conceded, "But it is also sometimes the only way to protest others. Tell me Jaune, do you want to save one person or ten people?"

"Ten," Jaune answered immediately. "I want to save as many lives as possible."

"Why," the girl questioned.

"It's the right thing to do," Jaune said.

"Even if you could only choose one of them," Penny added.

Jaune paused, not sure how to answer. The question caught him off guard, and he just stared at the hologram. It was frozen.

Jaune had always been taught by his father that it was right to save as many people as possible.

"Perhaps I should begin the actual lesson," Penny suggested. "The Great War of Remnant was fought over eighty years ago. All four kingdoms of today fought in it…"

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

It was now morning and Jenette had gotten up at a reasonable hour and was very thankful for the sleep she had gotten. Though her schooling at Signal Academy wasn't as strenuous as some believed it to be, she did have some late nights studying hard and keeping her crafted weapon in shape.

As the oldest, she went to get all of her other sisters up for the day.

Ashton and Grace had already arisen for the day and were simply talking about random things, giving their big sister the casual greetings of the morning.

Jillian refused to rouse from her deep sleep and Jenette teasingly took away her sheet covering the girl. The girl wasn't happy about that to say the least.

Lana and Amara were less angry about being awoken and more unhappy that they had to get up. It was like this all the time. They were the lazy twins after all.

Miranda was up as well, reading a book in bed, and she greeted her sister with a small smile. Jenette smiled back.

Now onto the baby of the family; Jaune. Their mother had told her that he was eager to start the summer fun with them all and Jenette had laughed a bit. Jaune was always energetic when it came to family. They mattered to him above all else. He loved them all and they all loved him back. He was their only brother.

Jaune opened the door to Jaune's room. What she saw filled her with a sense of confusion. His bed was empty, and it looked untouched, like no one had been sleeping in it. Was Jaune up already? He usually never got up alone.

"Jaune," she called out. "Are you in here?"

She didn't hear anything other than silence. She began to feel a bit of axiousness.

"Jaune," she called out. "Are you hiding somewhere? Come on out. It's me."

Still nothing.

Jenette began to actually look around his room to see if he was hiding and simply not responding. All of her efforts were fruitless as she couldn't find him.

 _Maybe he's already with_ _mom and dad,_ the eldest Arc sister thought.

With that, she took a last glance in his room before closing the door and quickly making her way to the dining room, where her parents were already preparing breakfast. Jillian had amazingly made it here before she did.

"Good morning, Jenette," her mother, Gina called out. "Is everyone awake?"

"Did Jaune come down already," she asked immediately.

"No," her father, Jacob replied. "Why?"

"He wasn't in his room when I went there," Jenette said.

That seemed to get everyone's attention immediately. The room seemed to be unnaturally silent. Everyone seemed to be getting the same idea at once. The once-happy faces were now filled with a sense of fear.

"Jillian, go help Jenette look for Jaune," Gina asked. "As a matter of fact, we should all go look for him."

"Sure thing," Jillian pushed her chair in and sprung up. "Where haven't we looked?"

"Anywhere but his room," the elder sister reported.

"We'd better hop to it," Jacob Arc put down what he was doing.

News of Jaune's absence filled the household and everyone began to scramble around to find him. They searched every inch and centimeter of the house. And when that failed, they checked outside again to make sure he wasn't in one of their spots outside.

Once they all gathered and reported a failure to locate Jaune, the truth dawned on them all: he wasn't here. He was gone somewhere.

"How did this happen," their father asked. his voice cracking.

For a moment, no one answered. Then Lana seemed to get an idea and spoke.

"Last night," the girl said. "I had a bit of trouble sleeping. I looked out the window for a moment and I thought that I saw someone poke their head through the window. I thought I was seeing things."

That seemed to kick their parents into overdrive. Jaune's room was located on the same side as the second-born twins and Jillian. The parents both bolted quickly off to that side of the house to see if anything looked unnatural.

The first thing that they noticed was the grass around this part seemed to be more flattened than the grass surrounding it.

"Look," Grace pointed out. "Tracks."

Although they were very vague and difficult to see, clearly they weren't Jaune's size. And they were correct, there were two sets of them,

A closer inspection of the house revealed a hole located right above Jaune's window. That was something that wasn't there before. The house was thoroughly maintained and looked after. That hole just got there recently or last night.

"Jaune's been taken," Jacob breathed.

That statement caused eyes to widen in shock. Their mother was the first to respond with a sobbing. Their father went to comfort her while the rest of the sisters were left to stand there, unsure of what to do.

Jaune was gone.

Jaune was kidnapped.

Ashton and Grace were the next to break down and hold one another. They had poured countless hours coddling their baby brother, just like their parents.

Jillian looked caught between anger and tears. She looked positively ready to scream out in either tone. Her only brother was gone, taken from them all.

Lana and Amara didn't move or respond, not even to each other. Simply staring at the ground with a numb expression. It was clear that they were hurt very much, more than anyone had ever seen before.

Miranda had collapsed on the ground in despair, her eyes filled with tears that she couldn't contain. She was very emotionally connected to their little brother.

Jenette stood there, looking at the tracks left. She gritted her teeth and both her hands clenched into fists very tightly.

 _Whoever took Jaune, know that I will find you and hurt you. We won't stop until our little Jaune is back. I swear it._

 **The toughest part of writing this chapter was the last part. I'm thinking that somehow I missed something to make it better,** **more e** **motional.** **I guess I'll see how people respond before I make any decisions.**

 **And now that I have it on my mind, I ought to talk about pairings in the future. As much as the popular pairings like Arkos and White Rose are cute, I find myself trying to find unorthodox pairings. I mean we've got enough of the popular pairings, so it's time to start being a bit more unusual. Which is why I'm researching and thinking about crack ships.**

 **And that leads me to reader views and opinions about their two cents regarding uncommon ships. I'd like to know what people think about this. And for anyone that got the idea that Penny and Jaune are together, I'm sorry to say that's not happening. It's going to be a really close friendship, that's all.**

 **And also while I'** **m thinking about it, I've been thinking about doing a Jaune and Ren bro** **mance with the two being shipped with so** **meone other than Pyrrha and Nora respectively. That's still in the** **makings though and I don't know if I've got enough ti** **me for another story see as I have so** **many other stories to do.**

 **All of that being said, if you loved this chapter, leave it in a review. If you hated this chapter, I want to know why. And any feedback is appreciated.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and remember, keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.**

 **Peace out!**


	4. Chapter 4: Learn Fast or Die

Chapter 4: Learn Fast or Die

The lessons in the Great War were of much intrigue to Jaune Arc. His father had talked about the Arc family's history in the war. Of course Jaune was very much interested in these stories.

Unfortunately, it was time to resume training, and he was not looking forward to that one bit. His entire body felt so much stiffer than when he woke up this morning.

What he didn't expect was for his trainer Lieutenant Jennings to lead him into an arena-styled room. At the center of the room were two wooden swords, one for him and one for the man. Jaune wasn't sure if he should feel happy or sad. Swords were something that Jaune wanted to wield, but his father told him that he was too old to even be holding a weapon. Now he was getting a weapon, but now it wasn't his family that was teaching him.

Jaune picked up the wooden replica and began to assess it. It was heavy even for him, and the boy struggled to hold it upright for a very long time.

"What are we doing," Jaune asked.

"It's important that you learn how to wield a sword, trainee," Jennings said. "And as such, you will begin your sword training now."

Jaune tensed up just a bit. Begin now? When he didn't know anything about sword combat? Wouldn't that be dangerous?

"But I don't know anything about sword combat," Jaune spoke.

"And I aim to fix that," Jennings said. "But before we begin, I will give you some basic moves. Watch my every move and do what I do."

When his trainer held a sword out in a battle-ready stance, Jaune did the same thing, waiting for his instructor. This was going to be tough for him.

The first move to mimic was a simple forward slash downward. Jaune did the same. A sideways sweep. An uppercut followed by an undercut. Several broad strokes. An overhead strike. A few thrusts.

Jaune struggled to keep up as his arm strength began to fade away quickly. The moves were simple to follow, at least Jaune thought so. However, his body he failed to do was use his body as well as his arms.

"You're only using your body," the lieutenant said. "Use your entire body. You've got it for a reason."

Jaune paused in confusion. He hadn't noticed anything other than the arm movements. The man could see this and simply gave a hard stare before resuming a position.

"Watch again, trainee," he grilled. "Watch everything I do. Repeat exactly what I do."

So Jaune again, this time trying to focus on everything that he could. It was difficult trying to remember the body movements for each strike, his eyes dashing back and forth trying to get it all. And the boy had to mimic it exactly.

Jaune did notice that with body movement certain strikes seemed more easy to do, more fluid, like he wasn't needing to do extra work.

"Rough," the man said. "But good enough."

Jaune let his muscles relax slightly.

"Now attack me."

Jaune felt his eyes widen in surprise. Attack him?

"What," he managed.

"You heard me trainee," the man held his own wooden sword. "Attack me."

Jaune tensed, realizing that the man was serious about this. And then he realized the point of these basic moves. There were going to be doing fighting matches now. Jaune struggled to think of the word that his father told him.

Sighing, the blond boy raised his sword with shaking arms and tried to strike with a sideways stroke, only to result in his weapon tapping lightly against the man's weapon. His trainer was less than impressed.

"Again," he said.

Jaune tried a less exhausting angle, this time with a slightly more powerful stroke. But still Jennings's blade met his with an extremely casual strike.

"I said attack me. Do you know what attack means?"

Jaune nodded his head.

"Then attack me. Give it everything you've got."

Jaune tried again, trying to get his mind to override the fatigue in his muscles. His strikes, though slightly stronger, still were of no use as they were deflected with extreme ease. Jaune didn't wait for the man to say 'again' and simply attacked again, still with no success.

Jaune wasn't one to give up easily, but this was downright annoying and frustrating. What's more, his trainer was putting no effort in on his part.

His useless strikes came to an end when his sword was soundly ripped from his hands with deft swordplay. Jaune looked to his fallen weapon, then back to his trainer. Jennings's frown couldn't be more obvious than it was.

"Now what did you do wrong," he asked Jaune.

"I couldn't hit you," Jaune guessed.

"That's what you were doing," Jennings clarified. "I want to know why. Why couldn't you hit me."

Jaune paused to think about the question again. He wanted to know why he couldn't. So he came up with one reason that he thought he wasn't making progress.

"I was tired," Jaune managed.

"That is part of it," Jennings said. "But there's more."

Jaune was, at this point stumped beyond word. He didn't really know what he was doing wrong beyond that. He did the strikes just as he was told to do them, at least as best as he could given his state physically.

"I don't know," Jaune shrugged.

"You did exactly as I told you to," Jennings said.

If Jaune was confused before, he was absolutely so now.

"What," Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"You did exactly as I told you to," Jennings said. "And that's why you couldn't hit me."

"That doesn't make sense," Jaune voiced.

"Not yet," the man said. "Now again."

To say the next hour was torturous was only capturing a portion of the details. He was hit from all directions, at dangerous speeds, and at high intensity. Perhaps one or two hits actually made contact for all the good that did him.

Jaune from that point on was left confused, battered, and exhausted to the point where standing simply just wasn't something that he was capable of. So he stopped trying and collapsed, no longer willing or able to put up any more effort on his part.

"...that will be all for today, trainee. There is one more thing to do before we conclude the day."

Jaune groaned without hesitation. He wasn't in the mood to do anything anymore. He just wanted to go home and see his family again. Anything but being here had to be better. Right?

He wasn't given a choice as he was promptly hauled to his feet. Jaune stumbled to get himself upright, still feeling exhaustion and pain threatening to put him back on the ground,

"Up, trainee," Jennings scolded. "Follow me."

Jaune strained and pulled at his muscles as they exited the arena area and took to the hallways. What now, he wondered.

As it turned out, he was brought to a small room where a table sat. It looked like a place where people would eat, and that sounded really good right now.

When the lieutenant motioned for him to sit, Jaune did as he said, simply collapsing into the chair. Even if it wasn't a chair built for comfort, it was the best feeling that the blond boy had ever felt. Already his aching body was feeling better from not moving.

A few minutes of silence passed by, and not a word was said between the trainer and the trainee. Jaune had stopped paying attention to everything around him in favor of just getting whatever recuperation time he could. His eyes struggled to stay open, but he remained awake. There was something that was going to happen, that much was certain.

The door opened again.

"Attention," Jennings called out.

Jaune turned his head to see a familiar face enter the door. When his trainer saluted, Jaune took that as a sign to do the same thing. Quickly looking to the lieutenant, Jaune salted in the same way.

"At ease," Colonel Ironwood said. "You are dismissed, lieutenant."

The man saluted again and swiftly left the room and closed the door with a quiet hiss. Jaune's eyes watched him go. As soon as the man left, Jaune turned back to the "new" presence in the room.

"How do you feel," Ironwood asked.

"I hurt all over," Jaune replied. "Can I sit down?"

"You may."

Jaune quickly reseated himself while the colonel took to sitting on the edge of the table. Both of them met eyes, the Arc boy finding it difficult not to be intimidated by them.

"Don't be afraid of me," Ironwood said. "You should never be afraid."

"But I am," Jaune said. "I want to go home. I want to see my mom and dad. I wanna see my sisters."

"I know," Ironwood nodded his head. "But what you're doing is for your own good and for Remnant. You want to be a hero?"

"Yes," Jaune answered. "But why does it have to be so tough?"

"Because we're trying to make you the best, And that means lots of work. Do you understand, Jaune?"

The boy nodded in response.

"Why do you want to be a hero," Ironwood inquired. "Why do you want to be a huntsman."

"So I don't have to be afraid," Jaune answered. "I wanna be not afraid like my sisters. I wanna help people. I wanna be like in the stories."

"I see," the man acknowledged.

James Ironwood mulled over the little boy's response. Clearly his parents and family had trained an idealistic view of being a hero into his mind. It came as no surprise seeing as that was what all parents liked to do: raise their children to be the best possible.

It was a shame that idealism had no place here.

"Jaune," Ironwood continued. "Being a hero isn't all about saving people. There's a lot more to it than you know."

"Like what," the boy sat up slightly.

"You have to do things other don't want to do," Ironwood answered,

"What, like pushups," Jaune asked.

Ironwood chuckled, and Jaune's head only tilted in confusion.

"That's not what I was talking about," the man shook his head.

Jaune waited.

"One day, you'll have to do things that you won't like. You'll have to do it because it's the right thing to do. Do you understand?"

Jaune slowly nodded his head, though Ironwood could tell that it still wasn't really sinking in yet. The general didn't really expect it to. He was still just a boy who just began training. It would take time.

Not exactly a very inexpensive luxury.

"Perhaps some bed rest," Ironwood suggested. "Training for you is done for the day."

Jaune out a sigh of relief, slumping back into the chair, but then he sat up quickly. He should be thankful to what he was given, his father always told him.

"Thank you sir," he said quickly.

The colonel didn't respond back, just gave the boy a look that Jaune could only speculate what it meant. And with that, the man motioned for Jaune to follow him. They journey back to what Jaune recognized to be the room.

"Good night, Jaune," Ironwood said.

"...good night, sir," Jaune said back.

With that, the door closed, and Jaune looked at the lit room. And he noticed something that caught his eye immediately.

Lying on the wall adjacent to his sleeping arrangement was a blue-handled sword encased in its sheathe. The sheath was white and bits of the Arc crescent were visible.

 _Crocea_ _Mors,_ Jaune's eyes widened,

He grabbed the heavy weapon in order to verify that it was indeed the weapon that his family had carried for a long time. With some effort and his body still hurt not helping matters, Jaune inspected the sword to see if it was as he remembered it as well as the shield.

 _I guess it's mine now._

It was now the only thing he had left from home. That meant he had to keep it together and hold it tight.

Then the smell of food found Jaune's nose, and he turned to see that a tray of food had been left for him.

Replacing the sword back into its sheath, he went to sit down and grabbed the tray. The food was nothing like home, but at this point, his stomach was ready to accept it simply because he had nothing else.

Once he downed the food and the water, he felt his eyelids getting droopy. Shuffling his way to the uncomfortable bed, he fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 _His eyes opened to see that he was no longer in his bed, but in the forest again. He groaned. Why was here here again? Was he even where he thought he was._

 _Getting up, he assessed his body. It was surprisingly okay despite his training earlier. Strange, but whatever. Better to not question it._

 _He spotted something in the distance: smoke. However, it was not a simple signature, It looked like there was a lot of it spread out over a large expanse of land. A fire?_

 _The best thing to do was steer clear of it outright._

 _And yet his body refused to respond to his mind as it walked towards likely danger without pause. Struggle as he might, he failed to stop himself from moving towards the clouds of smoke._

 _"Come on," he griped. "That way. This isn't fair!"_

 _Still he couldn't move his body the way he wanted to. Or was he even controlling his body at all?_

 _The smoke began to grow thicker, and he instinctively threw his hands up, surprised that they responded to his command. He coughed, allowing only more of the noxious fumes to enter his systems causing a string of coughs._

 _Still his legs marched him forward towards the source of the smoke. The heat intensity was growing, and the boy was feeling sweat on his forehead already._

 _Up another hill he climbed._

 _And then his body stopped._

 _A burning village. It wasn't a place that he recognized, but now that people were in trouble, there was only one thing to do now._

 _Help them._

 _He found himself once again in control strangely and he sprinted down, heedless of the dangers that were around him._

 _He barely dodged a piece of fire-lit debris that fell where he had been a split-second ago. The heat from the fires around him were unlike any fire that he'd ever been around. A fireplace was a sign of warmth and comfort. These fires were a sign of hostility and pain._

 _He hadn't seen anyone here, but he wasn't going to give up. There had to be someone here to help._

 ** _"A hero comes to aid."_**

 _He jumped in surprise at the voice. He couldn't tell if it was male or female. There was no one around, or no one he could see._

 ** _"Yet there is no one that needs aid here. An easily-manipulated scene indeed."_**

 _He stopped paying attention to his surroundings and ended up paying for it when something landed hard on him. Now under the pressure of debris, he was effectively trapped underneath it; no way out now._

 ** _"You came to save a place that is already dead. You are no hero, boy. Accept this."_**

 _Not a hero? Him? No, he wanted to be a hero._

 _He tried to get the debris off of his back, only managing a few inches of room, not enough to escape from._

 ** _"You are already dead, and yet you still struggle."_**

 _He tried desperately to ignore the voice as he once again tried to move the debris. A few more inches of space was given, but still not enough._

 ** _"It is amusing to see you fight for a lost cause."_**

 _He growled and yelled out as he pushed some more. Just a little more, and he could wriggle free. Then he'd find out who was out there._

 ** _"But my patience for you struggling is out."_**

 _A few more inches. This was his chance._

 _He barely managed to move out of the way as something struck where he was once stuck. He let out a breath before turning towards his enemy._

 _A shadow figure was all he saw. There was no face to see, merely a mask that covered the face._

 _ **"Come to me,"** the figure said._

 _He shook his head. He wouldn't fall for it. He wouldn't be baited into this trap. Bad idea._

 ** _"You fool. You think you have evaded the bait."_**

 _He wouldn't let his guard down. The dark figure let out a disturbing maniacal laugh, deathly, unfeeling._

 **" _How can you evade a trap that you have already fallen into?"_**

 _The figure moved closer, and he quickly raised a hand to the dark figure, ready to hit the shadow should the shadow get to close._

 _Then the enemy drew back a hood just as dark as his attire. The arms that removed the hood were not skin. They were metal to his horror. The mask still covered his face, but now his hair was visible. A wild mop of blond hair._

 _Then the metal hands came to remove the only thing preserving the secret identity. The mask fell to the ground without a beat left._

 _He stopped and stared at the dark figure._

 _Blue eyes, not natural, but blue nonetheless, looking more like a robot. But the facial structure, the same smile, the same features._

 _A reflection of himself._

 **" _Take a long look at me and see what you were meant to be. See what you could become if only your petty idealism would simply dissipate."_**

 _The boy didn't dare to respond. Stay good, he would tell himself. Evil would try and get to him. This wasn't real._

 **" _Dear sweet Jaune, you resist what you have already accepted. Or rather, you accept what already exists. Best to stop resisting."_**

 _The optimistic boy shook his head furiously. He didn't believe a word of what this other kid was saying. It was a trick, like an illusion semblance that others had._

 **" _I'll be waiting for you to accept this. For now, go back to your training."_**

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

His eyes opened and he sat up suddenly. His breathing was ragged for a moment before it returned to normal.

And then the aching of his body kicked in, leaving Jaune to deal with his new-found pains, a holdover from his workout the previous day.

He wasn't quite sure what that dream had meant, if it meant anything at all.

He was only given a moment of silence before the doors opened and he found himself staring at his trainer: Lieutenant Jennings.

"You're up," the man assessed. "Good. We start now."

Jaune got up without any form of protest, seeing as he wasn't in any sort of condition to do otherwise.

Jaune found himself in a very similar place a few minutes later. This time, he didn't flinch at the color confusion that filled the holographic projection room. He simply waited for the environment to spawn.

What he didn't expect was instead of a blue sky there was instead a grey sky. And instead of the forest being calm and peaceful, they were anything bot. The entire environment felt like a place of hostility. Dark trees, red leaves, black grass, like out of a nightmare.

Jaune shook that thought from his head. He was far more on guard than he was yesterday. He had to be as he couldn't afford to take many injuries as he was right now.

Slowly making his way into the dense forest, he kept his eyes darting from side-to-side. Every time he heard even the slightest sound, he stopped moving and listened carefully. Without the sounds of a natural forest around him, it made listening that much easier, but also that much more tense.

Jaune gritted his teeth unconsciously, his breaths short, his hands flexing and unflexing, All calm had left him.

The snapping of a breach caused his head to snap up ahead of him. Someone or something was there. He needed to see what he was dealing with, but here on the ground, he was at a disadvantage.

A thought came to the boy's mind. There were trees all around him. Why didn't he just climb up a tree and find out? He'd remain unseen and he could evade more easily.

Checking to be sure that no one would spot him, Jaune dug his hands into a tree and hoisted himself up a bit, his arm feeling pained, but he forcefully ignored the pain and slowly made his way up. He wasn't a terribly fast tree climber, but at least he could do it.

Once he felt that he was high enough of a distance, Jaune crouched low, using the upper branch for support as he tried to spot anything that moved. He didn't have to wait long, as the dark form of a Grimm appeared.

This Grimm was far larger than the one than yesterday, but it was still of roughly the same species if Jaune's memory served correctly.

 _Grimm can tell when I'm afraid._

That thought registered in Jaune's mind, but he wasn't sure he could believe in it yet. Grimm were scary business.

But didn't he want to stop being afraid? To stop being scared of these things?

 _I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid._

Unfortunately for Jaune, his fear were still tangible enough to be felt and he felt the tree he was on move a bit. Looking down, he could see the Grimm glaring him down. He wasn't sure if this was the real deal or some disguise. He wasn't about taking chances now.

He couldn't stay here forever, but he wasn't exactly in any condition to be fighting it either.

In his thought lapse, the wolf had jumped high enough to stumble Jaune out of the tree. The boy fell to the ground in a heap, crawling backwards as the wolf stalked closer to him. He looked around in desperation for something to fight back with.

His eyes fell on a pile of rocks and a branch.

Good enough.

Jaune grabbed a rock in his best throwing arm and the stick in his other hand. The wolf continued to advance on him. Jaune threw the rock without remorse. The Grimm seemed to just take the hit without so much as a scratch.

So Jaune grabbed another rock, with no change. The Grimm still wouldn't back down. When a third rock yielded no results, Jaune held the stick with both hands.

And then his back hit against yet another tree.

The Grimm's eyes made contact with Jaune's blue eyes. And then its jaw lowered for the kill.

And then the boy thrust the stick into the right eye of the creature. The Grimm howled in anger, retreating. Jaune then grabbed another rock and threw it into its open mouth. This only served to further hurt the Grimm and it began to stumble around trying to regain control of itself.

Jaune took the opportunity to stand up and grab another rock. It made sense to hit an animal in a place where he thought it would hurt,

Jaune took the opportunity to put some distance between himself and the Grimm. Once it had reoriented itself, it growled at him and charged. Jaune noticed the tree behind him. At the very last moment, he dodged clumsily to the left, causing the Grimm to hit the tree head-on. Another howl of pain was emitted.

Jaune got up unsteadily and barely was able to evade a paw swiped at his midsection. He scrambled forward, stopping when another tree got in the way. Jaune this time hit the ground and slid a bit as the Grimm once against missed him and collided into the inanimate object.

It was working, but sooner or later, this Grimm would have to figure out what he was doing and adapt. Jaune looked around frantically for something to even the odds.

It was then that he noticed that the Grimm was hitting with enough force to slightly dislodge the trees from the ground.

 _Get Grimm to fall under the tree,_ Jaune thought.

Jaune once again got out of the way and saw the Grimm slam into a tree again. It had done that enough times to start head bleeding. But still it wouldn't let up.

The boy positioned himself in front of another tree, hand behind his back as he held the stick. The Grimm charged again, this time with the clear intent of killing the nuisance quickly so it would stop being annoying.

Jaune brought out his makeshift weapon to bear and was barely able to poke the Grimm in its eye again. He was knocked back by the force of the charge, and they both hit the tree. A creak entered the boy's hearing and he felt something push against his back.

In a fit of pure adrenaline, Jaune quickly pushed himself out of the way, his foot brushing against the tree as it collapsed.

Then silence.

The boy picked himself up, and lifted his head to see a crushed Grimm. It looked dead; there was no movement.

 _I did it. I did it!_

Jaune got up, his balance barely able to keep himself upright.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"He learned," Ironwood said.

From his office, the general watched the boy as he used the environment around him to defeat the Grimm. It wasn't flawless and it was far from original, Jaune had certainly not repeated a mistake. The boy still lacked courage, but that could easily be remedied with time.

So far, Project Sapphire was progressing along well, but this was merely the tip of a really large iceberg. The subject showed promise and was clearly showing very positive traits in combat. His intelligence was greater than normal, but could be greater still.

All of this and a few more details would go to his superiors and the Atlas Council ultimately.

James Ironwood pulled up a file and began to relay all that he had seen.

 **From here on out, I'm going to be doing a bit of skipping in timespan. The next chapter will take place a year later.**

 **I may have given some people the wrong idea when I said that I was considering crack ships. What I meant was the uncommon ships. In any case, I think it's time that I cast a poll and ask people what they want to see happen. So I'm going to be putting up a poll on my profile page after I upload this chapter. I'll be keeping the pole up until chapter ten at most. It really depends on how I write the next few chapters. If you feel strongly about character pairings, then go and vote. Otherwise, you can keep reading.**

 **If you guys loved this chapter, let me know with a review. If you hated it, I'd like to know why. Feedback is always appreciated.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and remember, look twice before you leap.**

 **Peace out!**


	5. Chapter 5: Welcome to the New Age

Chapter 5: Welcome to the New Age

 **1 Year Later…**

Jaune's eyes flickered open.

He felt no fatigue nor was he particularly sore today. Physical training was everyday, and despite it being grueling and painful, eventually Jaune had learned to mitigate the pain at the very least and ignore it at the very most. And when his head hit the pillow everyday, he was out in an instant. There were rarely days when he wasn't out like a light. The rest was much-needed with the passing days.

He still had at least 30 minutes before he was to begin his daily training. So he went to grab Crocea Mors from its sheath. He was now capable of lifting the weapon more deftly, but it was still a blade that larger than he was; he had to wield it somewhat awkwardly. Still, he experimented with it, practicing the sword techniques that had been more or less become instinct. They were basic yes, but they were important.

Jennings had been adamant about being in touch with the basics because they were the reason that advanced techniques of fighting were made. Jaune had taken that lesson to heart and applied it wherever he went now. If there was a simple way to accomplish a task, he would attempt do it the simple way.

Once he was certain that the basics were down, Jaune began to practice a few of his own maneuvers. He had been provided with basic attack and defense techniques, but apart from that, the boy had to begin developing his own sword technique. It was hard work considering that Jennings was a persistent trainer who was always probing his defenses and assessing his offenses. He always found a mistake in Jaune's technique and always managed to grind him about his offensive and defensive lapses.

Jaune, as frustrated as he was by this, worked harder to overcome his shortcomings. The first few months had been especially hard as sword fighting had always reminded him about his father and his sisters. His eldest sister, Jenette was a skilled swordswoman. No doubt Jillian would've become quite the combatant herself given the chance. She was after all a student at Signal Academy, wherever that was.

The lieutenant could read Jaune like an open book and called the boy out on his distractions. When Jaune had voiced his thoughts about his past life, the man simply said that he had to focus on training and that his family could no longer help him. That hurt Jaune more than any physical wound, the idea that he could possibly forget his family. But training wouldn't stop for him to mourn over not having family here.

Jaune was finding it harder and harder to recall his family. Their faces were vague in his mind now. He sometimes wondered if his mother had green eyes or blue eyes. Or maybe it was his father that had the green eyes or blue eyes. One of his parents had green eyes, and the other had blue eyes.

And this was only the beginning of his fading memories.

The details between parents and siblings were becoming harder to recall with each passing day. Training everyday had forced him to stop thinking about them. Jaune was aware that somewhere in Remnant, there were some people whom he was blood-related to. Beyond that, he simply chose not to ask or find out any more.

Was that right?

Jaune shook his head from his rambling. He had to focus on his training now. Like it or not, he was here, and they hadn't found him. And if Jaune understood correctly based on Atlas Military special projects, he would remain hidden for as long as the deemed it necessary.

Besides, he had a duty to the people of Remnant. That was what was most important.

Jaune swung in an underhanded maneuver with a bit of a twist to his wrist in addition. The maneuver was meant to cause a wound to the lower abdomen or groin area. It could be adjusted into an impaling maneuver as well. It could also be a feint as well.

In his time learning about the capabilities of a blade, Jaune had always found that the best way to be prepared for a fight was to be prepared for offense and defense. Constant sparring with Lieutenant Jennings had taught him this lesson; Jaune had learned the hard way what happened when he came ill-prepared in either category.

The most noticeable scar that he sported was a clean cut mark on his back. The top of the scar could be seen on the back of his neck. It was a simple cut, and the first of his many lessons that would leave a mark.

The claw marks on his lower left side of his torso were the result of the holographic projector room. Jaune hadn't expected the Grimm Beowolves to be actually that tangible, but they were. Suffice it to say, the boy always made sure that the dark creatures were dead, even if they appeared to be dead.

And his third and most recent scar, his left shoulder sported a jagged cut. The reason for this was one self-injury and carelessness. Recently, Jaune had been introduced to firearms and even with his limited sword knowledge, he'd been forced to defend himself against live rounds. That first bullet wound had encouraged him to double his reflex times. Jaune also opted for tighter defensive positions.

Of course those were the most noticeable. He also sported many more marks, but regardless of how big or small they were, Jaune didn't like them one bit. They were a reminder of failure, not a tolerable thing.

One thing that Jaune could know for certain was that once he made a mistake, he would never repeat it again, and that brought him a small rise of pride and comfort to his own abilities.

As he micromanaged his time, allocating a minute per each strike and blow he wished to perform, he made certain to note any sluggishness, lack of proper form, or lack of strength. He needed to be razor-sharp every single day. Battles were won or lost with only fractions of a second. That was all it could take to end his life.

Jaune swung the blade again, this time with more aggression than the previous strikes. It wasn't that he couldn't be the aggressor in a fight, but he simply liked the idea of defending more than attacking. He was the defender of Atlas and Remnant. The notion was rather silly and illogical, but Jaune just thought it made sense in his own mind.

Jaune quickly switched his hands into a reverse grip and practiced. Very few people held a blade in the reverse-grip fashion, and the boy had taken a vast interest in this. Jennings had said nothing about this choice, but the trainee could almost swear that this trainer held a momentary look of approval.

How Jaune longed to see more of those looks because of their scarcity.

The door opened to his room and Jaune instinctively put his weapon and saluted crisply.

"Sir," Jaune said.

"At ease trainee," the lieutenant said. "Bring your weapon with you."

Without questioning the order, Jaune carefully replaced the sword back into the shield sheath. attaching the weapon to his back, Jaune fell into line as they took to walking through the halls.

"Today, we will be deviating from our usual training regimens," Jennings said.

Externally, Jaune showed no emotions, but internally, he grimaced a bit. Surprises usually were meant as a sort of measuring stick of his abilities. They may be short. They may last the entire day. He never knew, but he was prepared for the worst.

Jennings, for all of the torture and pain he put Jaune through, wasn't completely heartless. The boy had come to accept that the training, however difficult it was, had meaning. It was meant to prepare him against any threat thrown against him, be it Grimm or people.

And Colonel Ironwood was more or less the voice of morals and knowledge. It wasn't uncommon for the man to teach Jaune lessons concerning war history or battle tactics. Sometimes, he even taught Jaune morality and consciousness. Jaune had taken those lessons very seriously and committed them to heart. Ironwood acted a sort of father figure.

That being said, Jaune wasn't completely submissive, at least not in mind. As crazy as it was, he held onto some of his old childhood notions and ideals, but he compromised along with his lessons. That was for the best considering where he was now. When he was older, maybe he would be given more opportunity to be expressive of his own morality.

The trainer and trainee entered the room to find a waiting Penny and Colonel Ironwood. It was strange seeing everyone he knew in the same place. There had to be something special going on.

"Sir," Jaune and Jennings saluted on instinct.

"At ease," Ironwood nodded. "Jaune, today we're going to be assessing your progress here."

Jaune folded his hands behind his back and stood straight and at-attention. This was most definitely important. A small feeling that there was some hidden meaning clawed at him, but he did well to conceal any questions.

"If you pass today," Ironwood said. "Your training will be advanced."

"Advanced sir," Jaune couldn't resist asking.

"You have to earn the right trainee," Jennings scolded. "To this next phase."

Jaune closed his mouth from forming any further questions, mentally reprimanding himself for that momentary selfish thought.

"Once we begin," Ironwood explained. "You are on your own from here on out. Consider everything and everyone your enemy."

"I understand sir," Jaune nodded. "Is there anything further?"

"No," Ironwood acknowledged. "Jennings, you may leave."

The lieutenant saluted and left the room, the door audibly closing. As soon as he left, Ironwood changed tone almost immediately.

"The simulator will be put to its fullest," Ironwood explained. "Do well to guard yourself."

"Noted sir," Jaune said.

"I must go, but I wish you well, Jaune," Ironwood put a hand on his shoulder.

"I won't disappoint sir," Jaune met the man's eyes.

"Penny," the colonel gestured to the girl. "Come."

"Yes colonel," she said. "Best regards, partner."

"Thank you Penny," Jaune nodded, a very small smile on his lips.

The two of them left the holographic projector room. And Jaune brandished his weapon while also mentally preparing himself. It wasn't long before he was transported to another destination.

It was an abandoned city landscape. It wasn't one Jaune was use to training in, but he didn't falter, instead searching carefully around him for any threats that may or may not be within his immediate vicinity.

Jaune didn't have to wait long as a Beowolf charged him. Jaune stood his ground, Crocea Mors held to his side in both hands. Jaune kept himself steady, and at the very last moment, as the Grimm attempted to decapitate him, he quickly dropped to the ground, and quickly thrust his sword up against its exposed neck.

The blade pierced through the Grimm, blood quickly leaking from the recent wound. Jaune felt a few trickles against his face, but he ignored them as he quickly rolled to avoid the dead form collapsing on him.

Jaune flipped back to his feet, his ears quickly picking up another threat approaching him fast. Without thinking, he quickly ducked, his back feeling air whooshing as whatever tried to hit him missed by mere inches.

The boy swung the blade behind him, the metal connecting with something and causing a cry of pain. He then quickly turned around and shoved his blade forward, impaling another Beowolf through the abdomen,

Retreating quickly, Jaune quickly got out his shield. It was really big for him, and like his blade, it was too big for him, but it would protect him.

He was soundly knocked to the ground by another Grimm attack to his side. There was no injury sustained, but the wind was temporarily knocked out of him as he struggled to get his bearings back.

Knowing he couldn't recover fast enough, Jaune held his shield up as felt an impact that left him unable to get up. Jaune gritted his teeth as he pushed with all of his might. The fact that he was able to even move said opponent told him that it was a Beowolf or smaller. Anything else was too big for him to counter with raw strength.

With only a small window, he quickly turned the shield back into its sheath and quickly swung his sword, his strike slicing the face of his attacker.

With the weight lifted off of him, he quickly got up and looked for the next threat. Looking into the sky, he found a falling form on the verge of crushing him. So Jaune sprinted away.

Reorienting himself, Jaune brought Crocea Mors into a reverse-grip position. An Ursa bore on him with clear intent of ripping him to shreds. Jaune wouldn't be able to out-power a Grimm of that size, so he'd have to be evasive and play it safe.

Jaune shifted his body to avoid a strike. Retreating out of reach of the bear-like Grimm, he began to circle around, forcing his enemy to spin with him. All the while he continued to avoid being hit by the deadly claws. Constant hours in the simulator were paying off as the boy was able to evade and weave and duck.

Jaune feinted to the right, giving him a moment to scramble onto its back and plunge his blade into a weak point in it's armor. The Ursa struggled to get him off its back, but he held on with one hand on the hilt of Crocea Mors and the other holding one of its back spikes.

Jaune did the only thing that he could while in this position: stab the Ursa over and over again. The Ursa still was was trying to shove him off, but was weakening slowly.

Finally, Jaune was forced to back off and get back on the ground as more Grimm began to swarm his position. Seeing that he was exposed with no cover of any kind, he quickly retreated into one of the abandoned buildings. The limited spacing would force the Grimm to go in one at time. That would leave him with ample opportunity to retaliate back.

A Beowolf was the first to try and get at him. Jaune thrust forward, his blade scratching it, but not killing it.

That moment let the Grimm raise its claw and score a hit to his exposed arm. The boy cried out in pain, losing his grip on Crocea Mors in the process. It clattered to the ground.

He needed to get that back.

But first he had to kill the Beowolf getting the way, not an easy feat when he didn't have anything but his shield. How would he kill it?

 _Wait,_ Jaune thought. _I don't have to necessarily kill it. I need an opening to get_ _my sword back, that's all._

Jaune swiftly got out of the way of another attack. He was running out of space quickly as the Grimm kept pressing him back. So he did the only thing that he could think of: run forward towards the Beowolf.

The Grimm saw him closing the distance and attempted a finishing blow, only to be confused as Jaune dropped and slid under it, his small size being enough slip by its groin area, to which he banged his shield against. The Grimm fell in agony.

Grabbing his sword, he quickly rushed to impale from behind. The Grimm tried to stave off the fatal wound only succumb as it continued to struggle more.

With a moment to recover, Jaune took a few breaths in and looked at his wound on his sword arm. It wasn't terribly deep, but it would likely leave a mark for at least a few days if not more.

And if he was to guess right, this was only the beginning of a very long test.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune plunged Crocea Mors in the underside of a Boarbatusk. The four-legged Grimm squealed before falling into death.

Jaune was no longer fighting with any sort of tactical mindset. He had long abandoned tactics. Frankly the boy wasn't even sure what he was doing now or how long he had been fighting. Survival instincts maybe?

The Grimm kept throwing numbers at him, each of them easy to defeat initially, but more difficult as time passed with sheer exhaustion and some other wounds he had sustained catching up to Jaune.

For the first time since the test began, there were no Grimm left to kill. And rightfully so as a trail of Grimm had been left behind as Jaune had been forced to stay on the move constantly throughout his battle. The ruins were becoming a Grimm graveyard.

But Jaune's head was ringing and his mind was in a frenzy and his hands shook as he twitched at the slightest sounds. As far as he was concerned, everything that moved was going to be dead by his hands.

The sound of something whooshing by him forced him to bring his shield up to protect himself. The metallic bang that ensued barely registered in his mind as different-sounding when compared to Grimm appendages.

When he saw Penny standing there, weapons out, Jaune didn't release any of his tension in his body. Trust nothing; those were his instructions, and whether he acknowledged them from a rational mindset or from his survival mindset, he pushed forward.

He gripped Crocea Mors tighter as he watched for her next strike. Two blades flashed towards him, so he brought his shield up again, the two blades striking the metal, the shield bouncing back from recoil and hitting Jaune square in the jaw.

Jaune pushed himself to cover more distance, and Penny still tried to lash out at him, her face remaining neutral. Jaune didn't notice this as he barely was able to parry and defend himself as she continued to barrage him.

Another blade was able to pierce his defenses, and another cut was made, this time on his neck's right side. If Jaune were in the right mindset, he would register it as painful, but having abandoned his sense of bodily pain, the boy pressed on.

No longer were his defenses and parries with thought; they were executed with instinct as if as normal as breathing.

Jaune hacked and slashed once he was finally able to make it to Penny. She dodged and evaded, but he continued to attack her. Of course he wasn't expecting to hit her, but Jaune was no quitter.

Nobody like a quitter.

Penny used her blades to fly out of his range once again as she began her own counterattack. Jaune once again began to defend himself.

 _Left. Right. Up. Down. Uppercut. Undercut. Lean Forward. Lean Backwards. Strike at 3 o'clock. Intercept at 11 o'clock. Shield at 7 o'clock. Slash at 12 o'clock._

Another four wounds were established on his torso and left leg. Jaune was now bleeding from many wounds, none deep, but combined, he was beginning to succumb to his wounds. Black could be seen in the corners of his vision.

By all logic, Jaune should have already ceased fighting; the only thing keeping him together was his survival instincts and his stubborn nature.

Penny could see that he was faltering and she decided it was time to end the fight before any of Jaune's injuries became permanent or otherwise hampered him later.

In one deft motion, she commanded her blades to disarm Jaune.

She was even more surprised to find that even without Crocea Mors in his hands, he wouldn't give in. He held both fists up in a fighting stance.

And then he moved forward, taking swings at her. She moved away from him, doing nothing to retaliate back. Penny merely stayed out of range, and yet he was far from frustrated at this.

He simply kept at it.

This futile barrage didn't last long. Within a minute of this, he simply collapsed into unconsciousness. The moment that he did, the holographic room ceased its program and the room morphed back into the dull metallic room.

Penny rushed to his side to check on his injuries. She quickly wrapped the injuries as best as she could with some gauze she came prepared with. None of his injuries were going to become infected. As realistic as the holographic projectors were, they were only capable of physical injury, nothing more.

The door opened and Lieutenant Jennings and Colonel Ironwood came in, their pace brisk. Their eyes fell to the fallen Jaune's, who still appeared tense and unstable despite being out of it.

"He only stopped when he succumbed to injury," Penny said. "His injuries will heal with time."

A moment of silence ensured.

"Your assessment, lieutenant," Ironwood turned to his subordinate.

The lieutenant paused to stare at his trainee before giving his response.

"Jaune shows much progress," Jennings said. "And this test shows a high resilience, bodily fortitude, and endurance. He only began to make more mistakes when he was wearing out."

"Is he ready then," Ironwood asked. "Are we able to proceed?"

"Yes, sir," Jennings affirmed. "Penny, if you would."

With that, she turned to Jaune, carefully placing a hand on his cheek, her other hand resting against his chest. She began to glow with power.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee."

Jaune began to glow with an intense white glow. His glow was so intense that both the lieutenant and the colonel had to shield their eyes slightly from the glow.

"Jaune possesses an immense aura level," Penny said, astonished.

"How much," Ironwood asked.

"His raw power," Penny assessed. "Is enough to rival even fully-trained huntsman and huntresses."

Both of the men looked to each other, then back to their trainee. Penny had slowly began to remove the bandages and gauze that covered his cuts and wounds. To everyone's surprise, they were already healed, as if they weren't there to begin with. The only visible wounds were the scars that came before this test. This was only a further testament to his aura potential.

"He will regain consciousness likely by this afternoon or early evening," Penny concluded. "Shall I take him to his room?"

"Please do, Penny," Ironwood replied.

Penny grabbed Jaune and carefully lifted him up before carrying him out of the holographic simulator room. Ironwood and Jennings watched the two of them leave.

"How soon can you train him in aura," Ironwood questioned.

"With his sword and hand-to-hand training," Jennings thought. "It will be at least another few days. The boy needs to adjust to aura himself and learn it himself before I can give any real training in it."

"Good," Ironwood breathed.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune's eyes slowly opened, and his mind began to kick into gears as it processed his surroundings. He was back in his room, and it appeared that he was on his bed.

Jaune lifted his body to find no stiffness and no pain.

Wait.

How was that possible?

Considering that he just went through the most strenuous simulation that he'd ever faced, as well as the most intense, he should be at the very least in pain and at the very worst not able to move at all.

"Hello Jaune," a cheerful voice called out.

Jaune didn't jump up, as he knew that it was Penny that said that

But he was wondering why she was here.

"Hey," Jaune smiled lightly to her. "Looks like you beat me. Again."

She was sitting on the edge of his bed watching him. She gave him the same infectious smile that she always gave him. He could always count on her for some light-heartedness when he needed a bit of spirit-lifting.

It wasn't often that Penny came to see Jaune in his room, as both of them spent all of their time in training, but over the past year, he'd learned everything there was to know about her. He'd come to accept her for who she was, despite her initial fears of rejection. He trusted her with his life, and had done so on more than one occasion.

This exercise hadn't changed his opinion on her. She was no doubt placed as part of the test. Ironwood and Jennings knew what they were doing.

But Jaune still couldn't resist asking the question that was in his mind.

"Why did the colonel and the lieutenant place you in my test," Jaune asked. "What were they hoping to see?"

"They wanted to see how well you've come in training," Penny elaborated. "And they also wanted to assess whether or not you're ready for aura training."

"Aura training," Jaune's ears perked up.

Aura was a tool of huntsman and huntresses, but anything with a soul on Remnant could wield aura. Jaune never questioned it much because he thought that his training was what was going to be his bread and butter.

"They want to train me in aura," Jaune tilted his head in wonder.

"Of course," Penny said. "You are of Arc blood. The Arc bloodline has always been known for high aura levels. You are no exception. That's one of the reasons you were selected into the project."

Then something in Jaune's mind clicked.

"So the reason I'm not in pain is because it's been unlocked, and if I had to guess, it was by you."

"Correct," Penny responded. "But Lieutenant Jennings will train you in its uses. I would take time to familiarize myself with it if I were you."

Jaune nodded in understanding. It was still quite surprising this turn of events. Aura training wasn't something he had planned for. Now everything made sense. That test was meant to see if he was capable of fighting without it. It was understandable, as aura could lead to cockiness and arrogance.

Jaune wouldn't fall into that trap.

"You're still as tough as ever," Jaune said. "But even if I was mostly out of it in my mind, I did notice a few new moves during our fight. Have you been given new programs?"

"I have," she agreed. "They were implemented right before your test."

"Something new to test myself against," the boy laughed. "I'll be sure to collect some more scars."

"Scarring and injuries will be less prevalent now that you have aura," she countered, "And you have a semblance that's yet to be unlocked. Who knows what else you will be capable of doing."

"Yeah," he sat back. "How long was the test?"

"You were tested for 5 hours, 39 minutes, and 17 seconds exactly," Penny reported.

Jaune let out a loud breath. Penny could see the exasperated look in his eyes, and she put a hand to his shoulder. He was likely beating himself over taking such a long time. Jaune liked to be clean and efficient.

"You did well," Penny assured him. "You should be proud that you have passed the test and have an aura now."

"Don't get me wrong," Jaune raised his hands, "I'm glad that I did it, but it also means I've got to continue to train harder. Aura is a massive step up in power. I have to use that power for good intentions."

Penny always did admire Jaune's sense of responsibility to himself. That was another main reasons he was selected for Project Sapphire.

Personal needs for Jaune came second only to his duties and to the people he was sworn to defend.

 **This is the first of several time lapses for Jaune's training. There will be at least two more chapters like this one and five chapters at most. This chapter was written while I listened to a particular song. If you noticed the title of this chapter, you almost definitely know which song I'm** **talking about.**

 **I've given thought to Jaune's semblance and I think I've got one in mind that's just right. I took inspiration from super heroes and super villains alike in order to come up with it. No spoilers.**

 **I've also given some fair thought to pairings. And I took a look at the poll I put on my profile page. I've got to say, it's not what I expected. Since I've made it a blind poll, I'll give you guys a few clues as to the results so far. Pyrrha, Yang, and Blake are the top three as of right now, not in that order. And two of them are tied for number of votes. Ice I'll be keeping that pole up for at least several more chapters, so if you feel strongly about pairings, then go vote.**

 **Anyway, if you guys loved this chapter, let me know with a review. If you guys hated it, tell me why. And feedback, like always, is greatly appreciated.**

 **I'm sorry if I can't read some of your review. Fanfiction is been kind of buggy for me. I don't know if it's just me end or the actual site. I get them by email, but not on the review section. So for extra-long reviews, I'm only getting parts of them, and that annoys** **me. Long reviews are those people who like to give** **me lots of feedback.**

 **Thanks to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed. With 100 follows, 54 favorites, and 29 reviews, I think it's a good start in the RWBY Fanfiction world.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, we now welcome the new year, which is full of things that have never been.**

 **For the new year, my resolution is 1920 x 1080. Get it? Eh? Eh? ...alright, my jokes are bad. You can call me out on it.**

 **Peace out! Welcome to the New Year 2016!**


	6. Chapter 6: A Gift

Chapter 6: A Gift

 **1 Year Later...**

Jaune shrugged off another blow from the training droid. Crocea Mors swung into a tight-maneuvered arc in order to intercept the bullets that were meant to strike him. Keeping the blade close to his body and using his arm to its fullest, he shifted the blade so that he kept his moves minimalist. He would conserve energy this way, and be able to fight longer.

Of course Jaune knew that his aura was also more than capable of protecting him from gunfire, but Jaune knew better than to be overly-reliant on its uses. He always used aura when in training in order to practice its uses more, And he was well aware of his high aura level. Apparently his raw power was enough to rival a huntsman with training and experience.

But Jaune was a cautious fighter by nature. Aura was a second line of defense in his mind, and Crocea Mors was his first line of defense. At least against bullets.

Jaune flicked his wrist to deflect a bullet aimed at his side. He then switched into a reverse grip to reflect back at another mech on his right side. So far, he was getting closer to mastering bullet deflection and reflection.

Jaune's defenses were stronger than his offenses. and this was due to the fact that Jaune only attacked when presented with an opening that had a high chance of dealing a significant blow. For the most part, the boy's method was fight to end the fight.

That being said, he didn't sacrifice offensive viability. He was very strong offensively speaking, but not aggressive with it. Unlike some people, who thought of fighting as a flashy sort of sport, Jaune saw every battle as life and death. Why draw out a fight when it could be ended with a single stroke? It was the only logical way to fight.

Jaune saw an incoming blade and quickly weaved to his right, all the while lashing out with his blade. It struck the training mech on the leg and completely severed it.

His momentary lapse from behind allowed another mech to hit him in the back, causing Jaune to stagger forward a bit. The boy had to take a moment to cease his stumbling, falling into a roll so as to keep moving and being made less of a target.

Jaune weaved on the floor to evade burst fire, and then brought his blade up to narrowly reflect seven rounds. They hit their marks, severing the heads from two mechs standing close together. He then brought his blade up horizontally to intersect another incoming blade. Quickly disengaging, he then thrust his blade forward, and forced the target to defend.

Seeing that he had the offensive, Jaune quickly charged, and when the mech tried to retaliate, he slid under the bot and bisected the groin section. The mech collapsed, now incapable of walking. Jaune didn't waste any time in decapitating the head. Never leave a threat alive, no matter how seemingly crippled it was.

More mechs began to surround him, trying to take him out with numbers, but there were ways to use numbers against the enemy.

Jaune called upon his aura to give him boosts of speed. The use of his aura was as little as he could manage, but enough that he was still unable to be hit easily. All the while, he caused the mechs to fire wildly and in turn, at each other. Ten were reduced to six in the first few seconds of his aura-augmented speed flurries. Jaune cut down two more that had lost sight of him. The remaining four stopped firing so wildly and tried to see him.

Now more confident of his chances, Jaune charged again, and they brought their weapons to bear and fired. Instead of using Crocea Mors to deflect or reflect the shots, the boy shifted his body just enough in order to cause the shots to miss him by centimeters. He could feel the heat of the bullets as they passed by his own body as they were that close.

The first mech in his path met a quick destruction from a slash to one of its sides, effectively shutting it down. The second tried to hit him with the butt of a rifle, only to have the weapon relieved from its grasp followed by a swift impale. The remaining two fired in synchronization, hoping to suppress the boy.

Jaune leaped away, using his own strength to get him in close, causing the two mechs to attempt a melee attack, only for one to be killed by a bisection, and the other to get cut down by rifle fire as the boy had grabbed the fallen weapon and took shots.

The blond-haired boy slid on his back, firing until he knew that the mechs were down for the count, but like any prepared warrior, he quickly jumped back to his feet, and holding his weapon at the ready.

As it turned out, he didn't have to wait long as another contender enters the arena. Jaune looked up to observe a spider-like mech stalk towards him. It was a very large opponent, very much more so than the mechs he had fought.

Jaune brought his shield to bear as machine gun fire was hurled his way. Gritting his teeth against the force of the bullets, he slowly began to make his way towards the new enemy. With his liberated rifle, the boy took pot shots, none of them having any real damaging effects on the spider mech.

A leg tried to smash him into the ground, only to meet nothing as he narrowly evaded. Another leg tried to hit him again, only to meet the ground. As Jaune continued a varied movement patern to avoid strikes, it became clear that he could run circles around this thing all day, but it wouldn't take much for this mech to take him down. Several shots if he was lucky and maybe one if he was unlucky.

Jaune couldn't find any discernible weaknesses in the armor plating, which forced him to retreat back as he tried to formulate a plan of attack. Without a weapon that could penetrate that armored shell, he would have to work out a weak point, even if he couldn't see it. There always was one.

The legs could be cut in theory with enough attacks to it, but that would take too long, and Jaune wasn't about extending battles. He had to find the quickest way to kill it.

Even the backside was covered in armor, so that options was out as well.

 _Wait,_ Jaune fell behind his shield as more fire came his way. _What about the underside?_

The boy didn't stop to question if there were any potential dangers to his plan of attack, or if his plan was even going to work, because at this point, it was all he had. If he failed this, he didn't have another plan, and that would be it. But what choice was there?

Pushing himself to his limit, Jaune made a mad dash towards the mech's 2'oclock. Two legs tried again to hit him in a crossed X fashion, Jaune ducked over the narrow opening as the two appendages flew by his sides. Using his momentum, Jaune simply held Crocea Mors up and made a clean but lethal slice. Circuitry and metal came crashing down onto the floor from the slice.

And then the mech gave a great sigh before falling into a heap.

A second passed, and nothing else came out to attack him. Jaune still held his weapons in case there was any more.

" _Simulation complete,"_ a voice called out.

The door opened on the far side of the room and Jaune sheathed his weapon and stood at attention. And on instinct, the boy saluted crisply.

"At ease trainee," Jennings looked to his trainee. "Now, what did you do wrong?"

This was the very same question that the man had always asked Jaune when he finished a training exercise. The very same question that Jaune had come to accept but loathe with a passion. His efforts it seemed were all for nothing or for very little because rarely had he ever hear a "good job" or "well-done." Any words of praise would be preferable. He would accept being adequate, decent, even mediocre, but he wouldn't get even that.

 _Am I destined to be a failure,_ Jaune asked himself.

"I went over the time limit, sir" Jaune answered honestly.

"You were not fast enough," Jennings affirmed, "I counted eight strikes that would have been far more effective and efficient, and cut off two minutes. Instead, you wasted time, which could have cost you in the long run in a real mission."

Jaune remained motionless, and his face carefully guarded.

"You need to employ more creative avenues of attack," Jennings continued. "Find more ways to use what you do know."

Again, no reply from Jaune.

"And you must be prepared to do so on whim if necessary," Jennings crossed his arms. "Understand, trainee?"

Jaune didn't say anything, but he bit his lips hard and remained as focused as he could. This was becoming more and more difficult for him to remain silent about. It wasn't his place to talk back, and certain it wasn't his place to complain, but he wanted to so badly.

So he settled for the next best thing that he could do to show his frustration.

"Sir, no sir," Jaune replied.

Both of them stared each other down, the obvious unease clear between them. A moment turned into a minute. Jaune continued his stare, waiting for an answer. The man seemed to be arguing over something in his head.

"...come with me," he finally said.

As with most of their time trudging through these halls, it was done in silence, but with an added layer of tension, Jaune kept a bit more distance. He wasn't sure where they were going, but the space was necessary.

After going through these halls for two years, Jaune had memorized the exact routes that went to where in this facility. It was large facility, and Jaune had yet to really see it all seeing as he was confined to certain sections as of right now.

And they were headed to a place that they were both familiar with: Colonel Ironwood's office, which was slightly strange considering that the man wasn't even here in the complex today. Jaune had learned that Ironwood led an academy meant to train warriors.

He should also remember that Colonel Ironwood was now General Ironwood now. Apparently, he was promoted for reasons unknown to Jaune, but the boy could make a few guesses. His work on this project, his work with his school, his impeccable record, and his overall ability to get results just to name a few. The man was good at his work.

They entered Ironwood's office and Jaune watched the only other occupant of the room as seemed to shuffle around the room in search of something. He wanted to ask what was going on, but held himself back. He'd find out soon enough.

So it came as a surprise when his trainer got out something that Jaune didn't recognize. It didn't look like anything yet. It was covered in a black case.

"Sit," the lieutenant motioned to one of seats nearby.

Jaune carefully settled himself down, his body leaned forward slightly. His eyes carefully watched as Jennings pulled up the other empty chair and sat close to the blond boy.

"What is this sir," Jaune asked.

A few clicks indicated latches being unlatched. The lid of the oddly-shaped case opened up.

For a moment, Jaune stared at what was lying in the case, and said nothing. He didn't recognize it immediately, but then a stray thought made him think about music.

"Sir," Jaune looked up. "I don't understand."

"Have you never seen a guitar before, trainee," Jennings asked.

It might have been two years since his abduction, but seeing something civilian again certainly brought out a light in Jaune that he hadn't thought about in years. More specifically, a guitar.

Jaune knew what they were, and truthfully, it would've been something cool to learn, but with his training here, he'd long since dropped any hope of entertainment beyond what he had to do. Civilian luxuries weren't of importance here.

"No sir," Jaune sighed. "I have, but why is this necessary?"

"Perhaps I should explain," the man picked up the instrument.

"A musical instrument, in a way, is an extension of ourselves. And for as long as Humanity and the Faunus existed, it has always been a part of our cultures and our lives."

Jaune watched the man strum a note. The sound was the most beautiful thing that Jaune had heard in his time here. The sound was like renewing a sense of joy that had been thoroughly depleted.

"Some might say that without it, individuality and creativity is nonexistent. Everyone person born on Remnant is different in one way or another, and one such way that people can express this differentiation is through music."

Another note, this one a higher pitch. The notes seemed to flow together, like they belonged in a group. The rhythm, the flow, the tone, it was soft, just a simple strumming of notes.

The words of his trainer were not lost on Jaune's mind as he listened to the slow tune playing. And Jaune watched as his always-stern instructor adopted an expression that the boy had never seen in the man. It was like looking at a completely new person.

Jaune closed his eyes and simply let his ears listen to the slow notes that flowed together. He took the time to carefully keep them in mind. He might not get another chance to listen to this again. He had to savor it.

The first minute was a sense of happiness, like the kind that you get from natural and typical things, like family. But that didn't diminish the importance of said happiness. One should never take for granted something like that.

A sudden switch in tone followed. A more intense sound came out, but nothing negative sounding, but still a positive intensiveness. It was a shift from being happy and then increasing it ten fold. It was like knowing that everything that one did had finally come to fruition and that a major achievement had been done. It was like shouting in joy and not caring who heard.

Then a change, a sort of pause. Jaune listened again, this time focusing on the softness that sounded throughout the room. Perhaps this was a sort of means to indicate an interlude, but still it was a light tone, peaceful, fulfilling. It was an appropriate transition.

Then the sound turned to something uncertain, like someone wanted this part to be happy, but there was also sadness that had to be accounted for. Two sides of a coin forced to be put together. Jaune frowned a bit at this, his mind interpreting and predicting a change that was likely not one that was pleasant.

Then a turn into something extremely saddening, something that Jaune felt a surge of all the pent-up emotions that he tried so hard to keep at bay. It was like trying to fight the unstoppable force with a stick and a rock. The stick had absolutely no use and the rock would only have one in a billion chances of doing any damage. The boy said nothing, but the notes were irresistible to listen to, even if they weren't of the best emotions.

Then it sunk further. A dark well of anger and hate, the extremely aggressive notes making the tone clear as day. Jaune was not really familiar with anger, nor was he experienced its uses. He had no reason to be angry, but even he didn't have to know how to use to know that this was what it sounded like.

Jaune opened his eyes to see his trainer heavily invested into the music. Gone was his stoic expression replaced with the emotions that the guitar sounded. Jaune couldn't really say what it was for though. It could be a great many things considering that he knew next to nothing about his trainer's life outside of this place.

And then a pause again, followed by silence.

Both teacher and student looked to one another.

And then a light sound, a sound that Jaune felt was the lowest sound that he had heard yet. It was like him right now: a failure that saw no light in the darkness. Jaune visible gritted his teeth, despite his vain attempt to cover up the unchecked emotions and feelings.

And then, there was an indescribable feeling of something that gave him just a small flicker of hope. That single light was all that was left, and he would use it until it extinguished or he found the way. Anything to hope for was better than no hope at all.

Another feeling of hope again, this time stronger, but not aggressive. It was like knowing that there was yet a chance, but also knowing that this would be a test of strengths, not necessarily restricted to physicality. Anything was fair game.

Another mix of good and evil, this time very much in full swing. Imagine a war zone with the forces of two sides colliding. Then picture a storm overhead battling with a blue sky and sunlight. The blood of both sides spills, neither having an advantage, but still slaying their enemies one by one regardless. This could only describe a fraction of what Jaune was feeling now.

And then, a shift in the balance. The forces of good now pushed back where once evil had done so before. Now a sense of renewed vigor and purpose and conviction had returned, and with it, evil could be swatted away, one by one. The hope was ever rising as the forces of good began to show their bite.

And finally, an end once and for all. The final chance for evil to cease its struggle and accept the loss, but like any true evil, it would not, and a choice would ensue, one that could very well change the decider for good or for bad.

It certain wasn't a complete ending. There were many dead, but at the very least, the fight was over. Perhaps it was not the fight to end all fights, but it was potent enough to have settled an uneasy peace, far from a utopia. Peace was good, even if temporary.

The sounds of the notes finally came to an end.

Jaune could recall everything that he had heard, all of it replaying in his head again and again. It was more than simply music. It was like looking at himself in a mirror. The same struggle though not to the same extent. The same conflict, though perhaps for a different reason. It was like those seven minutes summarized what he had been feeling for two years.

Despair.

Longing.

"I think I understand sir," Jaune whispered.

"Understand what," Jennings asked.

"...there's always a way to accomplish something," Jaune said, "There's always hope, because without hope, we cannot live."

Jaune put his head in his hands, his mind needing to settle down a bit. All of this raw and unchecked emotion that he kept bottled up now coming out.

"I want to be the best I can," Jaune said, "I suppose that maybe attention isn't something I want, at least not to a large extent, but knowing that someone acknowledges and cares about what I do is important."

No longer was the boy holding back anything, simply letting it all out right now. He could deal with the consequences of being outspoken and vocal later. Right now, he could care less about any punishment that was going to face.

"Trainee, head up," Jennings said.

Jaune didn't respond, nor did he answer.

"Jaune, look at me," the man asked, this time with a small plead.

Jaune did a double take, When had the lieutenant ever said his name in his entire time here? As far as Jaune could recall, there was never a time that he ever used his birth name. It was either his code name or simply "trainee." Did that mean he cared?

Jaune didn't want to feed himself false hope, but right now, his emotional state was far from stable, and with that, he looked up and met his trainer's eyes. The man took a deep breath before leaning forward, his expression serious, but with a tender look.

"You've done very well here. You've exceeded all of our expectations and you still strive to better yourself. Do not diminish your own abilities. I have no doubt that you will be a great warrior, but also a good person at heart. It will be hard I won't promise to be less demanding, but with the way you are, you will always find a way. You always have."

There it was, a ray of hope in the everlasting darkness. It wouldn't completely do away with the past of little to no praise in the past, far from it. There would still be hardships, and no doubt there would be more headaches and heartaches. Jaune could also believe that he'd still feel a bit of anger and frustration, but there was something to believe in.

"I hope to impress, sir," Jaune said, "But just the same, I would have appreciated a little more acknowledgement for any progress achieved."

"Understandable," the man responded. "But you do know why I am this way?"

"Yes sir," Jaune sighed. "I won't slack off."

"Good," Jennings said. "A couple other things before we go. Firstly, if we are ever conversing in this manner, I am not Lieutenant Jennings. I am Holden Jennings."

"Sir," Jaune lifted an eyebrow.

"General Ironwood believes I need to act as more than a trainer," he explained, "And I'm very much inclined to agree with him. I could not do so without his approval, even if I wanted to...and I wanted to very much so."

Truthful words, Jaune deduced, but really surprising and unexpected.

"And secondly," Holden pointed to the guitar. "The guitar is yours."

"I-what," Jaune's eyes widened.

"You need more than your training and your education. Consider this a way to express yourself when training won't allow you to. I have given you access to the network on your scroll. You can access lessons and other tutorials should you feel the need as well as search for your own songs."

"I won't let you down," Jaune saluted. "And thank you sir. I'll be sure to use it well."

Jaune Arc, for the first time in a long time, smiled a genuine smile. Things were looking up for him.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jenette Arc's eyes carefully scanned her surroundings. All of her hard work had paid off, and now she had been admitted into Haven Academy, which was located in Mistral.

She was happy for many reasons.

Her dream of becoming a huntress was closer than ever before. With her trusted weapon Undying Requiem, her top-notch combat skills courtesy of her father and mother, and her good smarts, she was bound to flourish here.

She was also happy that she was moving out of her home. As much as she loved their home, she was also eager to visit new places and see what there was out there. After all, if she was to become a huntress, she wanted to know what she was fighting for.

But all of that happiness also carried a sadness with it.

For two years, the Arc family had been searching for their lost member. Jaune Arc was still somewhere out there, she was sure of it. Even though their search had lessened, they still kept an eye and ear out. Jenette's parents had certainly talked to everyone they knew in order to find any sort of clue or whereabouts as to the youngest Arc.

And coming to Haven Academy was a painful reminder about Jaune's wish to become a huntsman. He wanted to be a hero, not for the glory or the fame, but to save people, to help people. He said it a million times, and Jenette had tried to dissuade him from it. She loved him too much to see him hurt.

With his disappearance from their lives, Jenette had felt the need to honor her baby brother's desire to become a huntsman and work harder to be a huntress herself. If she couldn't find her brother, she would honor him instead.

Being at Haven could provide her with a window of opportunity that she hadn't had before. The search for Jaune was at a dead end as of right now. All efforts to find him had been met with systematic failure. Call it stupid or crazy, but the eldest Arc sister believed that perhaps they may be a chance to find Jaune with outside sources.

It was a longshot at best and she wasn't holding her breath, but she would do anything to find what had become of Jaune. She missed him so much, as did all the other sisters. The family had drastically changed and not for the better.

Grace and Ashton had taken it really bad. They loved to baby Jaune, but now they could no longer do so. And so they began to invest more time with each other and their passions. The distance that was forming between them and everyone else was obvious.

Jillian had become more angry, more impulsive, and more prone to outbursts, and somehow, nobody was surprised. And nobody really could blame her for this change. She was just as protective of Jaune as Jenette was.

Lana and Amara had changed arguable the most, having long since abandoned their rather carefree and lazy tendencies in favor of more serious and responsible traits. In a way, it could be appreciated, but Jenette always felt that with them, something was lost, like their innocence was gone.

Miranda was still not fully accepting of Jaune's absence. She cried at least half the nights of the week, and her sad state was even more obvious when she was awake. She didn't do anything with much excitement now, and despite mother and father's attempts to get her spirits up, it seemed for nought.

Their mother Gina was far from okay, but as the mother of the Arc family, she pressed on, determined to hold her daughters tighter to her heart. She had become far more protective of what the sisters did, and asked a lot of questions concerning what they did.

Their father Jacob had felt that he needed to be around his family more despite him being a huntsman. He took contracts that were less time-consuming and quicker in order to achieve this, and it was greatly appreciated.

If Jenette had to sum up the Arc family in a single word, it would be "changed."

But they were still family, and they looked after one another as best as they could despite their immense loss. Jenette was not satisfied with this though. She had made a promise to herself that she wouldn't stop until Jaune was found.

Alive or dead, she would find him.

 **I actually had a bit of a tough time writing this chapter, but I also had fun doing it as well. I felt it was time to begin showing some of the Jaune qualities that I'll be including from canon.**

 **When I was watching when Jaune tried to play guitar for Weiss, that gave me this idea. And in a way, I'm think of writing Jaune playing guitar like Blake reading books: it's what they love doing. So I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do.**

 **And that leads me to my next question: what do you guys think would be good songs to characterize Jaune in this story? If you've got a song you think is a good fit let me know in a review or PM. I always find great inspiration in the music I listen to. The part is that I won't judge** **music based on genre. If I like it, I like it. End of story.**

 **And the next order of business is shipping hints. As of right now, the top three are now Ruby, Yang, and Blake, not in that order. Pyrrha has been knocked out of the top three, and none of the top three are tied in votes. The pole is still up on my profile page. If you feel strongly about shippings, then go there and vote. As much as I appreciate the reviews with people's opinions on pairings, I won't be using those, so make your voice known on the pole.**

 **And finally, if you loved this chapter. let me know with a review. If you hated it, tell me why. And as always, feedback and ideas are most appreciated. Improving this story is what I want to do.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and remember, change your thoughts, and you change your world.**

 **Peace out!**


	7. Chapter 7: Life Force

Chapter 7: Life Force

 **1 Year Later…**

Jaune held tightly onto the rail near him to stabilize himself. This was something new, flying in ships. His stomach was doing flips, attempting to hurl the content of his stomach, but he forced this nausea down. Those lessons in bodily control were useful in helping him suppress the urge to let loose.

It was a surprise to be flying, but Jaune remained calm about it. For one thing, the ship was on its way into the wilds, the place where the Grimm roamed, and in large numbers. This was a place where one could never find civilization within many miles.

And today, Jaune was about to be dropped on in the dead center, or as close to the dead center of the wilds as possible.

Alone.

Jaune didn't show it, but he was positively bristling with fear, or maybe a more appropriate expression was that he was negatively bristling with fear. This day was sure to come, the boy knew, but just the same, this was a major milestone in his training. If he could survive out here, then no doubt there would be more missions outside of base.

The mission details had been explained before boarding the ship. He would be dropped off in the wilds and he would have to navigate his way back to one of four extraction points. Which one he chose was up to him, but each one was at several days travel assuming resistance was light. If Grimm were in heavy resistance, than it could take up to a week.

Of course three years spent in a simulator meant to prepare him for fighting Grimm of all nature should be enough to quell his fears, but in truth, Jaune felt that as long as they weren't real, he wasn't really going to make the fear go away.

But now, this mission provided him with an opportunity to do so, granted that he survived to return back to the base.

Jaune shook his head. He would make it out of this alive, and he would do General Ironwood and Lieutenant Jennings proud. A lot a was riding on his shoulders. Project Sapphire's success depended on his performance.

"Approaching landing zone," the pilot said. "ETA, twenty seconds."

Jaune winked an acknowledgement to the pilot, and opened the side door, feeling the rushing wind all around him.

His blue eyes took in the area around him. It was a dark place, with no buildings or ruins and this particular part of the wilds featured many environments. In no way was this area inviting or comforting in the least. Even the trees looked menacing. This was definitely Grimm territory.

"Jump on my mark," the pilot announced.

"Acknowledged," Jaune readied himself.

Three.

Two.

One.

"Mark!"

Jaune leaped head-first, keeping his body in a straight line, all the while focusing on the ever-approaching ground. He was fortunate enough that his landing would be on flat area, otherwise this would be more difficult to do.

A thousand meters to go. He kept his eyes trained on his approximate landing position, all the while mentally ticking off the seconds to touchdown.

Five hundred meters to go.

Jaune called upon his aura, the white glow surrounding his body. The energy was something that he had grown in his continued use of it. He was more refined in its uses now.

Two hundred fifty meters to go.

He took a deep breath and then held it. The ground was very close now; if he didn't do this right, the landing would be very painful.

Jaune tucked his body and landed with a loud thud, his aura causing a slight energy wave that partially caved in the ground around him. Jaune looked around at his surroundings.

There was nothing around.

He let out the breath that he was holding, standing up and checking himself for any injuries that he may have sustained. There were none.

Now the first thing to do was to find out where exactly he would be going, not an easy task when he didn't have any sort of navigational tools to use. To make sure, Jaune grabbed his scroll and checked to see if he had any sort of connection, and he didn't.

So he was effectively left to his own devices.

Jaune made sure that he still had everything he brought with him. Crocea Mors was strapped to his back, he had a belt with a hunting knife, a medium-sized water canteen, a piece of sharp flint, and some basic medical supplies. Really, the basics that he'd need for survival.

Jaune had already eaten his fill and drank enough water to last for a couple more hours, and since his stomach was still recovering from the ride here, he wasn't in any mood to eat or drink anything.

He needed to know which way was north and south first. The only clues that he was given was that the extraction points were located roughly north, south, east, and west, roughly being the key word. Finding the general compass directions would only suffice as a start, but he'd need to be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary as well.

So now it was time to find out which was were the compass directions.

Looking around, Jaune found a stick and a few small rocks, Deciding an area that was flat and had sufficient sunlight, he forcefully shoved the stick into the ground, keeping it as straight as possible. When he saw the shadow the stick made, he marked the tip with a rock.

Now he had to wait a bit, fifteen minutes at most. Because it was early morning, the shadow that was cast pointed likely towards the west, but Jaune wasn't taking chances. If he messed this one up, he'd be wandering for more time than he needed. That, coupled with Grimm wasn't something he cared to entertain.

Keeping an eye on the moving shadow, Jaune got out his scroll and pulled out some earbuds contained in one of his pouches. He'd probably be scolded for bringing it, but right now, there were no enemies around, and he had time. And more and more he found himself less intimidated by his trainer's words. He followed orders out of respect, not fear.

Over the past year since receiving the guitar, Jaune had invested many hours after training and educational lessons into it. True to his word, whenever Jaune used his scroll online, it was only for music, and nothing else that was not related to that.

Jaune had begun to develop an understanding of the different genres that people listened too. For the most part, if it appealed to him, he'd put it in his personal music library. Of course there were some favorites he had, but most of his music was suited to a specific atmosphere or mood. Being out here had him listening to more heavy sounds.

And of course Jaune's skill with the guitar had grown as well as his skills in combat. It was the only normal thing he knew how to do, but then again, he wasn't really normal anymore. He stopped being normal when he first came here.

Jaune checked his watch. Seeing that it was time, he placed the second stone, marking an approximate 90-degree angle. Another few minutes of wait.

Jaune's memories of his life with his family had faded away into only the awareness of having a blood family alive somewhere in Remnant. Now he couldn't even remember them in the slightest. Not voices, not looks, not personalities, nothing. Seven sisters, two parents, that's what he knew, and he didn't dig too deeply into it. They were part of a life he was no longer a part of. He had a duty here, and could never return.

Still, it didn't stop him from wondering what they were doing now and if they cared enough to look for him, not that it mattered if they did. They'd never be able to find him, not as long as General Ironwood made it so.

Jaune's mind registered another song change, this time to something more poppy, so Jaune sifted through his songs and got out something more heavy.

Seeing the shadow aligning with his first rock mark, Jaune placed the final stone and looked at his work.

If this was correct, then north was to his left and south was to his right. So he was facing towards east and west was behind him.

With this newfound knowledge, Jaune recalled what he could of the landscape from the air ride.

There were several mountains toward the north. Going that way would ensure less Grimm but more dangerous ones likely hidden in the mountains. Nevermores liked to make their nests in the mountains in addition to the lesser-seen and very dangerous Machaera, a tiger-like Grimm with distinct fangs.

The east feature more forest and therefore couldn't house anything larger than an Ursa, so not an extremely dangerous trek, but certain one bound to have vast numbers in his path. The forest would also provide excellent cover and environmental advantages. His relatively small size would be of use.

Going south probably would be the most dangerous. He had spotted fields nearby, which meant even though it was the shortest route, it was infested with Goliaths, the most dangerous Grimm to encounter. If Jaune dared to go there, it would be the run of his life.

And the west was a more dry region. The Grimm would be less prominent, but the climate would be more intense. Going there meant preparing himself with enough food and water to last him at least several days.

Jaune rolled each option in his head. Each presented him with a danger, nothing he wasn't capable of accomplishing, but he had to consider which pathway would give him a greater chance.

The mountain terrains were less touched upon in his simulations, and the few that he did experience hadn't fully ingrained into his mind. So going there would provide him with more experience in said terrain.

The forest was a place Jaune knew like the back of his hand. Going there would be less trouble for him, even if the Grimm were more numerous. However, he wouldn't really be gaining any new tricks, knowledge, or experience.

Flat terrain was rarely touched upon in simulations. And facing Goliaths was something only talked about, but never done in practice. Jaune had an idea of how to deal with Goliaths, but he was in no way capable of killing one let alone a herd. He wasn't strong enough and he didn't process the proper weaponry.

And the more arid and dry region was unpredictable. King Taijitu were likely dotting that area, and they were very sly. And preparing for that trip would take a long time considering that he couldn't count on animals and water in that region.

Go north? Leaning towards yes.

Go east? A definite yes.

Go south? Likely no.

Go west? Not worth the effort.

Jaune sighed as he decided to trek through the forest. He needed to be certain that he actually could fight the Grimm he did know how to fight. Once he knew how to deal with the real thing, braving new challenges would be more easy to do.

Putting his scroll away and turning it off, Jaune made sure he hadn't lost anything before turning east and began to take off in jog.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

For the most part, the trek had been straightforward. Stay east, check every hour or so if he was still heading in the right direction, kill Grimm in the way, evade groups of Grimm to save time, and stay clear of anything suspicious.

To his great relief, the Beowolves and Ursai that had attacked him were very much as they were in the training simulators. Still, he treaded on the side of caution, only getting into close quarters if he had a killing strike. He was confident certainly, but Jaune wasn't arrogant.

One thing that did bring a huge comfort was that somehow Grimm were no longer frightening to him. Maybe it was because he'd gotten use to be on alert for countless hours that it was instinct to expect an ambush rather than a trigger of fear. Or maybe it was the fact that he knew now that all of his training was actually useful in killing Grimm and he just needed confirmation. Whatever the case, Jaune was satisfied.

Jaune's sharp ears sensed something behind him and he quickly backtracked. Another Ursa roared and tried to take him down. Jaune leaped to a tree and used his backwards momentum to leap over and make a clean slice at the top of its neck. The head hung loosely from the body before the Grimm collapsed to the ground.

Jaune remained still for a few seconds, and then sheathed Crocea Mors. Wiping off a bit of blood that had gotten onto his attire, he was about to resume his trek, but then noticing that the shadows around him were more dim than earlier. It had seemed like only fifteen minutes ago; how long had he been trekking through the woods?

It was getting dark and he'd have to set up camp soon. He wasn't a Faunus, though what he would give to have night vision like most Faunus did. It would certainly be cutting off precious hours of time. However, his body argued for food and water and rest. There was no use trying to argue otherwise.

So Jaune began to look for a suitable place to hunker down for the night. Preferably, he needed to find a place where he could light a fire and not draw much attention from the Grimm with a signal flare and a burning smoke column lighting him up in the night.

Jaune would ponder this further when he found what appeared to be a cliff up ahead. An idea came to mind as he quickened his pace. If he was to look for a suitable shelter, a cliff could house any alcoves or caves. It would preferable to being outside, and exposed on all sides to attack as well as to the elements.

Jaune brought out Crocea Mors and hacked and slashed at a couple of tree branches in his way. It felt a little degrading to be using a weapon that had seen the Great War nearly eighty years ago as a branch cutter.

Despite being able to wield the blade very deftly, Jaune couldn't help but feel that somehow the weapon wasn't truly his own. It wasn't like he crafted the blade with his own hands. It was an heirloom from his family, and it wasn't even given to him. It simply was stolen when he was kidnapped.

 _I wasn't stolen,_ Jaune scolded. _I was enlisted. And Crocea Mors wasn't stolen; it was re-appropriated._

Deciding to shut down the thought in his head before he began to look to deeply into it, Jaune began to hack more growth in his way. He only did so when it became very thickly dense. The last thing he needed to do was leave an obvious trail behind him for anything to get him, Grimm or otherwise.

The sound of something nearby caused Jaune to turn his head. Thinking quickly, Jaune took cover behind a tree, his blade ready to kill whatever was there if need be.

Deciding not to take chances, he very carefully positioned the flat of his blade to reflect where he needed to see. A small doe grazed nearby, eating grass. Jaune's breath hitched ever so slightly.

There was no way he was going to be able to carry it alone, but perhaps he could hide it somewhere nearby for the night and come back for it later?

Jaune activated his aura and waiting patiently for the doe to turn its back to him. When it did, with inhuman speed, the boy launched forward and very cleanly sliced its throat. It didn't even make a sound as it collapsed.

Jaune began to turn around to look down at his handiwork. It was a clean and efficient kill, no suffering, a good thing. But there was also a feeling of loss, not personal loss, but some sort of loss. It was strange, but the blond shrugged off the trivial feeling.

Jaune retrieved his hunting knife and began to work at skinning and cutting out the parts that he would eat. Inevitably, his arms and hands were covered in blood. He needed to wash this off at a stream whenever possible, otherwise it was going to smell bad later.

The carcass would undoubtedly attract animals or Grimm. He needed to conceal it, not an easy thing when he had to come up with the means to do it.

And the only thing that he could even really think of was using a tree and some leaves, maybe a couple of rocks as well. At the very least, it wouldn't be obvious.

Grunting with exertion, and with a bit of help with aura, Jaune quickly began to haul his kill to a sizable tree. Deciding it would serve as adequate partial cover, Jaune searched for a pile of leaves and a few rocks.

This would not do much to hide the smell, but Jaune wanted to do something rather than nothing. At the very least, he would temporarily throw off a pursuer.

Jaune clutched the raw meat he cut out and quickly set out again, He'd heard the sound of rushing water. It was just a little bit north it sounded like. He could also refill his almost-empty canteen of water.

As soon as he found the water, he almost tripped on a loose tree root trying to run at it. It was like finding the source of life itself for Jaune. Countless hours of intense exercises had turned water into arguably the most important form of sustenance in Jaune's mind. Even food sometimes couldn't hold a candle light.

But before he could drink it, Jaune quickly pulled up his scroll and activated one of its programs. It began to shine a beam of neutral white light upon a portion of the running water. After ten seconds of scanning, the scanner lights shined a bright green. It was safe to drink.

Jaune carefully set down the meat and splashed water on his face and washed himself off a bit. It was cold water, but he liked it that way it, and the shivers were easy enough to ignore outright. He should be thankful for water in the first place.

Jaune then drank the last of his canteen water before refilling it, savoring the feel of the cold metal letting him know he had water. He then set out to clean up what he was going to cook. Once he did so, he carefully attached the raw meat to his belt, then set out once again.

By the time he had reached the cliff, the sunset was reaching its end, orange light shining dimly. Jaune took a deep breath, looking at what he had to work with. And with a thought of confidence, he began to climb.

Thankfully, it wasn't a steep cliff, and there were more than enough to grab onto. Of course Jaune began to test himself by seeing just how far he could reach or how far his muscles could allow him to jump from one hold to another. If he weren't carrying so much with him, he might be able to do more, but he wasn't about to complain. Jennings had put him through worse things.

Jaune felt the rocks slightly scrape against his hands, arms, and legs, but ignored the minor pain and pressed on. His aura would automatically heal him, and still not even take a dent. He was more concerned about saving his aura if he needed to fight in the middle of the night.

Jaune reached up, and felt a flat area, so he pulled himself up, and then surveyed the area around him.

Although he wasn't at the highest spot of the cliff, he definitely was high enough to see a bit of the journey he'd been on. The forest top was visible for a bit of a distance.

And to top it off, Jaune looked a bit shocked to find what appeared to be an alcove nearby the mini rock platform.

But just to be sure, Jaune drew his blade again, and stalked over to cave. If there was a Grimm awake, it wouldn't know what hit it.

Jaune inched closer, his eyes and his ears trained on the shadowy corner. Stopping, Jaune purposefully scratched the tip of his blade against the rock floor.

And then some bats flew out. Jaune kneeled down to let them pass by him. Watching the little critters fly away.

There was no Grim; Jaune put down his sword.

Time to set up camp.

Setting down his kill, Jaune set out to collect just a few things. A few trips down to the ground, a few improvised pathways, and a bit of cursing later, Jaune gathered enough firewood to last him for the night, and a good thing too; it was pitch-black out right now.

Lighting the fire took a little longer than he liked, having to strike the flint against his hunting knife ten times. That was a first time that he didn't get it right the second time.

The boy sat down and stared into the fire as it grew. It was a long day, and he was beginning to feel the fatigue setting in. He was more exhausted than he thought. He must've been so dead intent on making good time that he didn't exactly know how fast he marched through the woods.

When a sizable fire had lit itself, Jaune began to put his kill on a makeshift cooking spit. He also got out some berries that he found on a bush. To Jaune, it was delicious despite a sour taste. It was better than what was back at base by a long shot. That food had little to no taste.

With the quiet moment to himself, the only subject of Project Sapphire let his mind begin to wander again.

Three years ago, he wouldn't have been able to make it even a fraction of the distance that he had covered. In three years, he had truly learned a lot. He could wield a sword with deadly force, he could survive out in the wilderness, he could use aura, he could use a firearm even though he didn't use one regularly right now, and he could free-run with a fluidity that was unnatural for his age. And that was just the beginning.

And when he wasn't physically training, he was with Penny, who taught him to use his mind as a weapon as well. It was clear from the start that Jaune was a brilliant tactician and strategist, able to make plans for the long-term, but also adaptable on the fly. The emphasis on a strong mind was conditioned with holographic games of chess, war simulators, and posed battle situations.

For Jaune, games meant there was always a positive and a negative outcome. Whenever someone won, someone lost, simple as that. There was no way to avoid that outcome because ultimately, everybody wanted different things, even if similar. It was a sad truth, but one he'd come to accept. He was after all living proof of that statement.

Jaune had gained so much from this place, certainly more than he would ever get as a normal child with dreams and ambitions, but with little to no opportunity to express them. Here. he had a chance to make a difference, to become what he wanted, even if not exactly as he'd thought it would turn out. Here, he learned how to fight for others, even if at the cost of normality and family.

It had become clear to Jaune that he was different. There were no other children but him being trained. Penny didn't really count as she already had the skills necessary for combat. And when Jaune had questioned Ironwood about this, the man had confirmed what he already had already realized. It was sad in a way for the boy. He'd never be able to know the world that he was going to defend.

But thinking about it, was it worth it? Was one life really in exchange for the possible billions in his care worth it? Was it worth the moral wrong doing?

Absolutely it was.

There was a war on the horizon, and not men, not armies, not huntsman, and not huntresses could stop it. They weren't him, and nobody else would ever be like him, because he would one day have the power to overcome any Grimm, the power to overcome any who'd abuse the powers of aura, and the power to stop any who dared to strike out against the innocent and weak.

Many would scoff at that theory that one man could possible do so much. After all, it was just one person, and one person was not enough to make a difference.

But Jaune didn't believe that one bit.

One person was all it could take to make a difference. Even if he didn't know how or why or when or what, he knew this much: no threat was ever infallible. All things could be beaten back.

And it was better that no one else have to suffer as he did.

Jaune noticed the meat needed to be turned, so he sat up a bit and carefully rolled the spit with the cooking meat.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

In the dark of the night, there were few who dared to venture out in the wilds. Even if the Grimm did have the habits and instincts and desires of a normal animal, it didn't make them less dangerous. In fact, it may as well be suicide to be out alone.

The night was their element, and ambushes were unseen, sudden, and deadly on almost all accounts. If one wasn't prepared adequately, they would surely be killed and there would be no trace left by morning.

And to make matters worse, the wilds were very vast and expansive. One could spend days, weeks, and even months travelling it and still not see all of it. Navigating it was even more difficult as maps were very rough and there were few very clear recognizable landmarks anywhere. And the remaining ruins of cities and towns were slowly disappearing, never to be seen again.

In short, few people went into the wilds. Even huntsman and huntresses, the defenders of the world against Grimm, didn't come out here often. Or at all if they could help it.

But in every group, there's one that is defiant of the norms, even amongst a group of warriors that were not normal at all. There is that one that has a rather dark but interesting way of looking at the world. There is that one that, in a way, takes some joy out of being out in the Grimm wilds.

And after doing so for many years now, braving the wilds was second nature. And surprisingly enough, it was a place of solitude if dong right. The Grimm were numerous, but they could be manipulated easily enough.

So now the question to be asking was who would be doing something like this?

She was elusive, having spent years away from civilization and from the people she called family. Now, she wasn't even sure if that was the right word to call said people anymore.

Family were the people that a person cared for more than anyone in the world and would do anything for them. In a way, she might say she could see herself saying the same thing, but to what extent? How far could she go?

How far would she go?

Her hand subconsciously grabbed onto her weapon, her eyes ever-watchful as she hiked with near-silence through the night. Her dark clothes also masked her presence physically. She was here like many other nights before. She would rest soon, but for now her senses remained tuned to her surroundings as she moved forward.

Very few nights out in the wilds could surprise her, because she was already familiar with Grimm to the point that dispatching them could be seen as more a chore than a threat at times. Only the most powerful and intelligent Grimm were a challenge.

With her senses attuned, she could sense something off. It was the smell of blood, and she turned her head to see an Ursa corpse lying face-down. Approaching it and inspecting the fallen beast, she found a very clean and neat impale mark on its neck. This death was too clean to be anything wild. This was clearly the work of a sword, and a very skilled or talented or lucky one given that there were no other slashes or cuts or damage anywhere. The fight was over before it began.

Another dead Grimm nearby also caught her attention, this one a Beowolf. This one featured a missing paw and a head that was nearly separated from the body, with a pool of blood left over. Again, these were swift and decisive strikes, the work of someone with a sword.

 _So perhaps not lucky then,_ she thought.

Her curiosity now piqued, she began to reach out to see if there were any more indications. She had been able to pick up faint traces of aura, not enough to get any sort of concrete information regarding the level of aura or an identity, not that it mattered who it was. This aura was alien anyway, so she had no idea who it was.

Who else would be crazy like her to be out here in the wilds? Who dared to invade into her private sanctuary? It was bound to happen sooner or later that there would be another who could brave dangers like she could. She just wished it was later rather than sooner.

So she continued to follow a very faint aura trail that the user had left behind. Whoever this was clearly did have at least some training in aura use, as the amounts left behind were barely enough for her to keep following. The only other way she could know for certain that she was on the right path was because of the occasional dead Grimm, all slain in the same fashion as the previous ones.

So it was with some effort on her part that she followed this trail until her eyes caught something that stood out in the night.

A bright light somewhere high up.

And then the faint smell of smoke found her as well.

She had found them.

 _Now I wait and see..._

* * *

 **This chapter was written based on my own experiences out in the sticks. I grew up in Maine, so I do know a bit about what I'm talking about. I'm not saying that I'm a real survivor out there, but I do know a few things.**

 **So anyway, this will be a multi-chapter mini-adventure as you guys can probably see at this point. I really am having fun with it, but just the same, I want to make a good story, so what I think is good may not be for my readers. So anyone who catches something real incriminating can hit me up with a PM or review regarding that mistake along with a way to fix it for future reference.**

 **And now for ship hints. The top three as of right now are Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang, not in that order. I'm sure that many of you Arkos fans are trying hard to get me to do it, and in a way, I understand. If you guys have seen the latest episode of RWBY, you know that Arkos fans are fanboying or fangirling over their mushy scene.**

 **Ruby got knocked out of the top three when I said it last chapter in my notes, so I guess you Arkos shippers are really wanting more Arkos. Still, I won't bend even if I like the ship a great deal.** **Sorry, but that's how I'm rolling. When I close the poll, the most votes will get shipped.**

 **As I've stated in earlier chapters, this poll will be up until chapter 10 or longer if I deem fit. So go vote for you favorite heroine to be paired with Jaune. Reviews asking for a ship will be disregarded. So make sure to vote if you haven't or if you want your voice to be heard.**

 **And on a side note, do you guys know the ship name for Jaune and Yang? For Jaune and Weiss? I know that Jaune and Ruby are Lancaster and that Jaune and Blake are Knightshade, and I've know about Arkos and Nora's Arc from the start of reading RWBY stories. If I got those wrong too, let me know. I feel compelled to know this for future reference.**

 **Anyway, if you guys loved this chapter, leave a review. If you hated it, tell me why and tell me how to make it better. And feedback and ideas are greatly appreciated. Improving is the name of the game.**

 **And on a final note, can anyone take a stab at who Jaune will soon meet?**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and remember, if you have enemies, that's good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.**

 **Peace out!**


	8. Chapter 8: The Enigmatic Huntress

Chapter 8: The Enigmatic Huntress

 **Somewhere in the Grimm Wilds…**

Jaune only had to wait for little under a half an hour before he could eat. He also took his time with the cold water. It was strange to have eaten nothing but bland paste. As nutritious as his food was, it tasted plain all around. It had gotten to the point where Jaune might even consider military food to be perfectly good food.

And that made him realize just how little variety that he had in his life.

So Jaune took his time and savored each bite as best as he could. Just the fact that it was far different than what he ate was more than amply reason for him to like it, even if he had burned it just a little bit.

As soon as Jaune finished, he was content to draw Crocea Mors and inspect it for any damage or rust or wear. As with the hundreds of times he had inspected the blade in the past three years, there was nothing to indicate damage of any sort.

Jaune recalled a vague memory that detailed the sword's origins, probably a story his biological father had told him many times. His ancestor forged it in the Great War, but how it was forged was subject to question. Crocea Mors was one of those weapons that had been forged with rather mysterious and secretive circumstances. Whatever the case, the weapon was still as sharp as it had been when it was first created.

The boy found an appreciation for the weapon in that manner, but he wanted to give it something new, something that could modernize the weapon. There were a few things that he had in mind, but he hadn't gotten around to asking General Ironwood or Lieutenant Jennings if he could requisition the materials necessary to craft modifications.

Jaune even wondered if he was permitted to do such a thing. He didn't want to seem ungrateful about what he had, but just the same, he had always been taught by both of them that modernizing was always the key to being ahead.

He'd have to brave the uncertainly and just go in guns blazing and see what would come of it. He could deal with scolding anyway. He was tough, and not a child, at least not in mind.

Jaune checked the time and saw that it was earlier than he thought, but then again, he wasn't complaining about that. If he could get a few more hours of sleep, he'd be better off, much more than what he could get in a normal day.

But before he could turn in for the night, he needed to do one more thing: a video log to file for later.

Pulling out his scroll and seeing that he still had an excellent amount of battery life, he turned on the camera and began to record.

 _"This is Jaune Arc, code name Arc-Angel and subject to Project Sapphire, classified above top secret. Be advised, unauthorized disclosure of this video is subject to severe punishment or death."_

He always started each video log like this. It had been part of the protocol, and he had rules to follow. Although he wasn't sure who was going to view these videos other than General Ironwood and Lieutenant Jennings.

 _"This is the first night in the Grimm Wilds. I have taken the precaution of going into the forests in order to be certain that my familiarity of this terrain and the Grimm that inhabit it are exactly as the training simulators have trained me for. So far, I have dispatched Grimm with relative ease."_

Jaune paused temporarily to take a sip from his canteen, the camera recording this along with the crackles of fire that sounded around him.

 _"I do not know how long I have traveled precisely, but I do know that if I keep on course and stay on the lookout for clues, I should reach the extraction point soon. For now, I will stock up on food and water before resuming my march tomorrow. I want to cover as much land as I possibly can."_

Another pause and Jaune stared into the fire and did so for ten seconds.

 _"...everyday I train, I isolate myself more and more from the people I am sworn to protect. I've known this for a long time, and I do not know if this is good or bad that I've accepted this."_

Jaune sat up a bit straighter, his eyes flickering down to his lap, his mind trying to find words to fill the video log. He needed to say something else. Anything at all would do. But then again, why fill his log with rambling and uselessness? Would he look back on this day and admonish himself?

Why was he feeling this strange sensation?

Perhaps he wasn't over the moral conflict that was in his heart. Doing a bad thing in order to achieve a good thing. Being a hero, but suffering through trials that tested him beyond all reason.

 _"...I suppose that I don't know what to believe in," he said. "I want to believe that what was done was right because ultimately, Atlas wants to create a defender of the kingdom and the world."_

Jaune put a hand to his forehead, rubbing it while sighing explosively. This was really getting him down more than it should. Maybe that was why Jennings had him busy all the time. If he had time to think, it could very well promote doubt and uncertainty in his mind.

 _"...I guess that I still wonder about who my parents were, who my sisters were, even if I am not able to see them anymore."_

Jaune clenched his free hand before forcefully banishing the thoughts from his mind and getting back into a neutral tone. All of his previous thoughts were now gone in the wind.

 _"As of right now, all tactics that I have employed are adequate in combat, though I will have to continue to develop along my own lines in order to have a fighting technique uniquely suited to me."_

Another pause as Jaune collected his final thoughts.

 _"I have confidence in my ability to achieve this. Three years have taught me a great deal about fighting, but I have not forgotten what I am meant to be. Ultimately, my life is not for me to decide, but just how much can I decide?"_

Jaune racked his brain for any further thoughts that he could think of. Finding none that he needed to voice, he gave his final words.

 _"This is Arc-Angel, signing off this video log."_

The scroll deactivated and Jaune put it next to his other gear he had laid out. With his mind more clear than a few minutes ago, Jaune stretched out his limbs and leaned against the rough wall, his mind already drifting into a haze. The fire was still going strong, and would likely remain so for a couple more hours at least.

Jaune closed his eyes, and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

With her weapon out and ready, she carefully approached the entrance from the side. She could only hear the cracks and snaps of a fire going, but she wouldn't let her guard down regardless of who it was.

It had only taken her about fifteen minutes to get to the cliff edge and get up to the cave that housed the light. It might've taken even less time if she didn't remain so stealthy in her approach, but like any good predator, she kept herself concealed. Nothing had spotted her.

Before she considered entering, she weighed her options. If the person was asleep, they would no doubt be an easy target. She could just kill them and be done with it. It would be easy and painless. She liked her solitude, and another person out in her neck of the wilds was just asking for trouble.

But then there was the reminder that she was a huntress, and as such, she was expected to exert control over who she killed. It was a given that in their line of work, moral boundaries would be crossed.

Would it not be better to take this person prisoner and question them as to why they were out here? She could then assess how to deal with this situation.

 _No_ , she finalized, _Better to kill this one and make certain nothing goes wrong. I can't afford to be potentially exposed and uprooted._

With her decision in her mind, she carefully drew her weapon and movedforward, her movements silent as a ghost, but also graceful like a dancer.

Then she stopped, her head turned to face the person.

All intent of killing had left her.

 _A boy,_ she tilted her head in curiosity.

Seeing that he was asleep, she carefully stepped forward, sheathing her blade quietly and went to stand in front of him as he slept.

She guessed that he had to be no older than nine or eight years old judging by his current height. Physically, he looked athletic, like he had been constantly training for a long time. She had seen her fair share of children. This boy must be training already. Not many children cared to train this early in life for combat. And his aura matched the one she had detected in the forest. And this boy had an immense amount of raw aura, perhaps enough to rival her own right now.

His hair was of a light blonde color, and his face showed a child that looked serious and on-edge. But despite the initial harsh appearance, she couldn't deny that this child radiated a sort of white light, a sort of pureness that she had only seen in a select few people. It was like looking into an ocean of pure and untouched water, a compassionate and idealist soul, a paragon of virtue and righteousness.

And those observations led her to one other person that shared a similar sort of personality and mindset.

"Taiyang," she muttered sadly.

She should back away, get away from this boy. If he made it this far, then clearly he was going to be okay. There wasn't anything in this forest that he couldn't handle. And if he was smart, and she supposed he was, then he'd stay clear of caves and open areas.

But try as she could to leave, she wouldn't allow herself to leave this place.

Raven Branwen didn't want to leave.

Again, she tried to force her body to move out, but her mind was arguing otherwise. And after a few moments of toying with her choices, she still found herself unwilling to go.

So she resigned herself to remaining here and watching the boy that resembled Taiyang Xiao Long, her former significant other. She wouldn't sleep well this night, because she had to keep an eye on this boy when he woke up. Then she'd ask him questions about why he was here. And then…

Raven didn't even know what she was going to do. She almost felt like laughing, because she always knew what to do. Virtually all things in her life right now were clear-cut and she didn't have to think too much about what she was doing.

But perhaps that old saying did have merit. There was a first time for everything. It was just that she didn't expect her first indecisive situation to be this painful. Of course it had to be like this, that her decision to leave Taiyang would return to haunt her like this.

 _Sometimes,_ Raven mulled, _I despise being able to read people so easily._

Raven adjusted herself so that she sat opposite of where the boy was sleeping against the wall. With her legs crossed, and her hands in her lap, she began to drift off into a state of semi-meditation. It wasn't exactly sleep, but it would give her some form of rest. She needed to be ready for anything tomorrow morning.

 _I hope you don't disappoint, little boy._

Raven's crimson eyes watched the child before closing and her mind calming down.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune was already conscious before he opened his eyes, but he didn't want to get up just yet. From using his senses, he could tell that the fire was already out and that any heat he was getting was from whatever rays of sunlight were peaking out.

Then Jaune sensed something else, like another source of aura. He would know that feeling because Jennings had an aura as well. The man had taught him to focus himself on sensing other aura users. Anyone could do it, but a lot of people with aura never bothered or didn't know how to train said skill.

If Jaune were anyone else, he might panic, but Jaune had control over his emotions, much more so than children of his age, so discovering another aura user meant that someone was here. Grimm couldn't use aura, only living things with a soul.

So he opened his eyes and was immediately greeted with the sight of a woman. It was strange, seeing another female person. Penny was still still a girl, so he really didn't know anything about the opposite gender.

The first thing that he saw that stood out was her attire. It was mostly dark with few traces of red to it. To her side was a sword placed in a dust chamber. The weapon must use different types of dust for special effects. Her attire appeared to be light, and he couldn't see any heavy body armor anywhere.

Her eyes were closed, and she was in what appeared to be a meditative state, but Jaune wasn't sure if she was conscious or not. Her face looked conflicted, like she was having to deal with a personal issue.

"You're awake," her mouth spoke. "I was hoping we could talk."

Jaune sat up and watched very closely as her eyes opened. He didn't trust her, but she hadn't attacked and killed him when she had the chance, so at the very least he could listen to what she wanted to say.

Her eyes were a crimson red. It was a very striking feature, but also eerie and dangerous. And somehow to the boy, it suited her just fine. She didn't exactly smile, but she wasn't frowning either. It was some twilight place in between.

"I imagine you have questions," she said. "But first, I would like to know your name."

His blue eyes met her crimson eyes, looking for any signs that should indicate that he should take off. It might be a rather ineffectual thing to do considering that Jaune had very little contact with the outside world. How could he hope to find deceit and lies when he hadn't ever been exposed to either one nor done either one himself?

So instead of looking for those things, Jaune then considered what he did now. Honesty and integrity were who he was, so he looked for those. This woman, whoever she was, radiated some sort of alien feeling, nothing he had ever felt. He wasn't sure if it was right to classify her as any terms associated with normality.

She continued to stare at him as well, but without any sort of rush or impatience, but Jaune didn't wish to keep her waiting.

"Jaune," he said carefully.

She looked at him like she knew him, and that puzzled him a bit. Did she know who he was? No, that look was a reminiscent look, the look a person dawned when they found something that was similar to something they had witnessed in the past. Jaune had seen that in himself at times.

"Jaune," she repeated, "I'm Raven. I'm assuming you don't want me to know your family name?"

Jaune knew she was asking questions not to find out secrets, but out of curiosity. Just the same, he couldn't go about revealing who he was and what he was doing out here. General Ironwood wouldn't be too happy if he did so, and Lieutenant Jennings might add more training to his already-impossible regimen.

"My family name is well known," Jaune replied. "I think you'd recognize it if I said it."

"I see," Raven nodded. "And why are you out here, Jaune?"

"Training," Jaune spoke coolly, "I am to survive out in the wilderness and trek to a position where I can get pickup."

"By who," Raven asked.

"That's something I can't tell you," the boy responded. "That's really...secretive information. I'm not suppose to speak of it, ma'am."

Jaune didn't know it, but Raven had already formed her own conclusions as to who he could be. She had dealt with many types of people before while taking contracts as a huntress, and his manners and the way he spoke very much like that of military person. She couldn't be certain, but it was an idea.

Kidnappings weren't something she was unfamiliar with.

Deciding to change the subject, Raven motioned to Crocea Mors.

"I see you have a sword," she commented. "Are you good with it?"

"I can kill Grimm with it," Jaune said. "And I can fight people with it as well. I don't know whether the classify myself as good with a blade. I lack experience, which I am sure you have no doubt."

Raven laughed a bit. This was indeed not what she expected: a child that spoke more like a sage. It had been too long since she had spoken with someone of this sort of mindset. She decided that she liked Jaune already.

"You would be right to assume as such," Raven spoke. "I am actually a huntress. I graduated from Beacon Academy."

"I've never heard of it," Jaune answered honestly.

Raven raised an eyebrow. Surely a warrior in training would've at least known the name, but he didn't even know the name? It was the most prestigious academy that trained huntsman and huntresses.

"That is quite surprising," she exasperated. "Most warriors in training like yourself would know of the name. Regardless, I see that conduct yourself well if the dead Grimm in the woods are any indication. If I had to guess, you fight to end fights."

"Yes," the boy nodded.

"A single stroke or a few strokes to win a battle," the woman observed, "A good way to fight, but not all battles can be fought as such. Some battles take patience, brains, and a careful plan."

Jaune nodded his head in understanding, and still kept his eyes on Raven. He listened because she was a source of knew knowledge. An actual huntress was before him, someone with actual training and experience, something that he would like to have more of.

"Grimm are different than people," Jaune said. "This I am aware of, and I do not presume victory nor defeat in an instant. I only know that I fight because I have a duty to complete, a reason for existing. Everything that I do is done with the knowledge that it's not all morally right, but it's for the greater good."

A pause.

"A good thing to know," Raven voiced finally. "Having a clear conscious means that you can sleep at night knowing that you've done what you believe in."

Jaune sat back a bit. His eyes remained trained on the huntress.

"Is there a reason you are here in the wilds, ma'am," he inquired. "And why are here here with me?"

"I come to the Grimm wilds often," Raven shrugged. "It's my sanctuary so to speak. And if you're wondering if I will kill you, then know that I have no interest in doing so."

"I will not pretend to understand the first part," Jaune sighed. "And what stayed your hand from killing me? If you've mentioned it, then you might have considered that option."

Raven's eyes narrowed slightly. He was curious, and very smart, almost scarily so. Whoever cares for him must be teaching him things that any normal kid wouldn't learn at this age.

"You...remind me of...a loved one," Raven replied simply.

"I understand," he said quickly.

Jaune's wandered to his scroll. And he turned it on, finding the time and realizing he needed to get going soon, or risk losing precious sunlight.

"And as much as I appreciate the company, I must be going. I bid you farewell."

Jaune began to get up and quickly grab his gear, checking to make sure that nothing was missing. Raven watched him for a moment, biting her hips lightly as she considered her next move.

Raven had gotten what she needed more or less. She didn't everything in detail, but she had an idea about this boy called Jaune. He certainly was no ordinary child, and whoever was training him was clearly intent on making an absolute warrior of great power in combat and massive intelligence. He spoke too formally and of topics that no child would likely ever consider at his age. Raven didn't doubt that he probably hadn't even been exposed to the civilian world in a long time given that he hadn't spoken a word about anything resembling a normal life.

He was outside what was normal even for warriors.

And that's why she liked him.

"And where are you travelling," she rose. "Is this your first time out in the wilds?"

Jaune stopped checking himself over, and stared at the woman, and his neutral expression betrayed his confusion. Why was this woman suddenly interested in his company. What could she possibly want to do with him? She was an experienced huntress, a fighter that was leaps and bounds ahead of him in terms of fighting ability.

"Is there a reason you ask," Jaune asked bluntly, but remaining as polite as possible.

Raven chuckled a bit, the sound of laughter a bit alien to Jaune as it wasn't something he had been exposed to much in the past years. It did sound like a nice thing to do though.

"You are to the point, Jaune," she laughed lightly. "You are not really a child at all. You possess the body of a child, but the mind of an adult."

"Thank you," Jaune accepted the compliment, "I think."

"I must admit," the huntress spoke. "You display many traits that he did."

Jaune's ears perked up.

"He," he asked.

"If you care to listen," Raven continued, "We may continue to trek towards your intended destination. Where are you going anyhow?"

Again, Jaune thought carefully. If he even mentioned Atlas, that could be a dead giveaway to who he was or what he was. Of course, he didn't doubt that measures would be taken regardless if Raven got curious and tried to snoop, but he needed to maintain secrecy himself.

"An extraction point somewhere east," Jaune pointed. "I'm told that there are clues as to its whereabouts."

"Indeed," Raven breathed. "I believe I know where you want to go. I can guide you there. It's about a day's worth of travel from here if we're quick."

Jaune's expression turned into suppressed surprise. They could get there that quick?

"I...appreciate the help...ma'am," he said.

"I appreciate the respect," Raven shook her head. "But you're not my student, so call me Raven."

"Raven," Jaune corrected himself. "Apologies."

"No need," Raven dismissed. "We should get going."

Raven waited patiently for Jaune to get ready and then she began to lead. It was strange for her to lead. She wasn't a leader by any measure. If anything, she was horrible at it. Her late friend and sister Summer would be better suited for this.

 _I miss you too sister,_ Raven thought, _And I don't know if you're alive or not, but wherever you are, I won't forget you._

It was this thought that suddenly motivated Raven to at least try and lead by example.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune was impressed by the level of speed that Raven displayed while going through the forest. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Her movements were practiced and fluid, without a single bobble. Watching her navigate the forest was like learning new things all over again, not easy, but still a challenge he took.

Raven was similarly impressed with Jaune's potential. Her assumption that he would learn fast was correct, and he seemed to be picking up on some of her techniques fast. His initial performance was probably equal to that of her own when she was in training before going to Beacon. It was a good start, but he still had much to learn. Still, if this was where he was now given his young age, she had no doubt he would go far.

Raven did note that he seemed to perform moves with a bit of stiffness, like he was trying too hard to get it right the first time when he had made several mistakes as far as she had seen. It was admirable, but it was also unnecessary. It was like failing was something he strived to avoid.

A bad thing to do when learning.

When they came across Grimm, Raven only had to use minimal moves to kill them. Jaune had to use considerably more complexity given that he still was only a child and that he couldn't match Raven in strength. Still, it was like he was fighting to try and prove a point, not in an arrogant way, but in a way that suggested a bit of self-doubt.

The huntress kept that bit to herself, and simply let the boy do his thing. Experience was a better teacher than textbooks and classrooms were. She knew this better than most people, and Jaune being dumped out here by his guardian, while harsh, was still a preferable way to train.

But after seeing this sort of behavior from Jaune as he eventually began to struggle to keep up with her, she sighed a bit and stopped on a hilltop. It was clear that they both needed to take a step back.

By the time he caught up to Raven, he was exhausted. Raven looked to the sky and saw that it was afternoon. It would take longer than a day based on their rate of travel, but as it was, Raven was in between contracts. She had time to kill.

"Perhaps we should stop for the day," she gestured to the sun. "And you aren't going to be moving any faster."

"I'm okay," Jaune insisted. "And I wish to get to the extraction point."

"Jaune," she repeated sternly. "Rest. You will need it."

Jaune looked ready to counter her, and she waited to see if he would. His body was still trying to regain oxygen as his panting indicated. He was covered in sweat from top to bottom. And to top it all off, he looked like he wanted to hurl the contents of his stomach.

But he somehow managed to force his body posture to remain straight and rigid, and his eyes didn't waver from hers in the slightest.

Then he relented.

"That's what I thought," Raven joked lightly.

With a moan, the boy fell to the ground and finally let go of his controlled behavior. Raven couldn't help but smile a bit at this childish behavior. It was adorable in many ways, and she felt a lot of warmth and joy from caring for this unusual child.

Maybe this was what it was like to be a parent.

Raven shook that thought from her mind, and quickly refocused her attention on her newest charge.

"I should go get some materials and set up camp for the night," She looked to some trees, "Don't do anything drastic while I'm gone."

"I don't think I'm any longer capable," Jaune rasped.

Raven just gave him a slightly concerned look as she took off to search for the necessary survival materials they would need for the night.

It had been almost a day that she had spent with Jaune. Raven should know better than to let someone else into her heart, because she'd only end up hurting the people she cared about. She no longer talked to Taiyang and she spoke to Qrow sparsely. She'd only seen her daughter Yang Xiao Long once before she took off. It wasn't fair to her daughter, but it wasn't without reason.

And to make it even more interesting, Yang was actively searching for her. Qrow had told her that he had to save her from Grimm once because she was so set on finding her mother. That girl was tenacious, just as much as her mother.

And now, what was she doing now? She was an acting parent for some little boy that she'd known for less than a day. Was her mind truly working right for her to make such a reckless and foolish move?

 _No,_ Raven admitted, _I'm not thinking straight, but for once in the past nine years, I feel...happier._

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Sir," Lieutenant Jennings saluted.

"At ease, lieutenant," James Ironwood nodded. "You have something to report?"

"I do," Jaune's trainer replied. "I've come across a situation that I think may very well be...problematic."

"Explain," James urged on.

"Jaune has proceeded to the extraction point," Holden explained, "But he's not alone. He's travelling with a huntress."

"Who exactly," James asked.

"I've identified her as Raven Branwen."

"Raven Branwen." The general knew that name all too well. "The sister of Qrow."

"Sir," Holden interjected, "She is known to be rather unusual and dangerous, even among her fellow huntsmen and huntresses. Should we do something about her?"

James paced a bit in front of his desk. This was unexpected and yet it was expected as well. It was common knowledge that Raven Branwen was a huntress that was...different than her peers. She embodied a view of the world that many didn't share and more often than not, the woman wasn't know for being especially close with many people.

So if she had found Jaune, and they were travelling together, then it meant that somehow the boy had probably earned her temporary trust at the very least. That was a miracle in itself, but that wasn't the only thing that James could see. Raven Branwen had graduated from Beacon Academy as one of the top students alongside her team.

Team STRQ was both famous and infamous at the same time. They had been involved in many conspiracies and terrorists and Grimm-exterminator missions. In fact, all the kingdoms of Remnant had at least heard of Team STRQ's accomplishments.

"Leave them be," James shook his head. "Raven will not disturb our work here. Besides, if my prediction is correct, she may connect to Jaune on a personal level. Imagine what he could learn from her if that were the case."

Holden Jennings stopped his protests and weighed that option in his mind. It did make sense to him. As much as the unorthodox training and tactics Jaune had been taught were very powerful tools, he did indeed need to learn from an outside source so as to have more options available to him. And what better way to learn than from the best of the best?

But still, Raven was a sharp huntress, and if the lieutenant knew her dossier, than he knew that she could put together puzzles with only bits and pieces of information. She may not be the life of the party per say, but she could discern a lot from a little. She could very well deduce what Jaune really was.

But would it matter if she did? She was one huntress, a dangerous one and deadly one, but just one.

"I'll continue to monitor them, sir," Holden said. "I've also looked back into Jaune's video logs. As expected, his attachment to civilian life has faded. And his memories of his old life had faded."

"He's focused," James acknowledged. "But he still has much to learn. The years are passing by quickly, and soon, we won't be here to guide him."

"I don't doubt his discipline and focus, general. If anything, I'm worried about that part of his tenure."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there, lieutenant."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 **This will likely be my last chapter before the semester starts. From here, updates are going to be all over the place. Between this and my main story, I've got my work cut out for me. Thankfully, I've been writing long enough to be able to write this amount of work along with the essays and assignments that I'm doing for school.**

 **So I'm thinking that I need to extend this adventure into two more chapters. That's a maybe considering that I'm still working out the details. The general story is mapped out.**

 **And finally, this isn't really new for you guys, but Yang, Pyrrha, and Blake are top three for votes for shipping, and they're not in that order. If you have a ship that you love with a burning passion, then go vote. Honestly, I find that each pairing has it's challenges and I could find fun and laughs in writing for all of them, but for this story, it's not up to me. It's up to you guys. So go vote if you haven't.**

 **If you guys enjoyed this chapter, let me know with a review. If you hated it, tell my why. Feedback and ideas are appreciated greatly. Seriously.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, love is a game that two can play and both win.**

 **Peace out!**


	9. Chapter 9: Ōdachi Vs Broadsword

Chapter 9: Ōdachi Vs. Broadsword

 **Somewhere in the Grimm Wilds...**

A fire was lit at their campsite, and a shelter comprised of fallen branches and small logs were assembled into a rough shelter. It was modest work, but it was still done with care. This was their safe haven from the outside after all for this night.

And they had managed to gather some food from hunting game as well as procure fresh water. It had to be boiled seeing as scans showed the nearby stream to be not clean. So food and water currently sat over the fire, cooking or boiling.

To pass the time, Raven had challenged Jaune to a duel. The boy, being only eager to combat a different opponent, accepted. He wasn't expecting to win, but he was expecting to endure and learn.

Finding a cleared-out area surrounded by trees and with no objects to interfere, they stood with their respective weapons.

He struck first.

Jaune Arc thrust forward, his blade meeting with the blade of his opponent, the huntress known as Raven Branwen. It was the first strike for him, and seeing as he'd never fought her before, the boy was content to start off with an offensive to see just how she defended.

Raven predictably blocked his weapon, and followed up with an immediate counterattack. Jaune barely shifted his body out of the way in time for the slice meant for his side. Disengaging from her, he quickly switched his grip and held Crocea Mors in a reverse grip. They circled each other slowly, keeping their blades at the ready and their eyes on each other.

Her counteroffensive was sudden, so he'd have to play carefully at this.

Raven struck this time with blinding speed. Jaune was caught off guard by the sheer speed she displayed, and he was forced to dodge. She continued to pursue in her assault. Another slash to his midsection was blocked by his blade close to his body. His blade was brought in front of him still in a reverse grip as he blocked a one-handed overhead strike.

Slowly, the huntress began to press her strength against his own. Jaune's face twisted in concentration as he called on more aura to try and match her.

And in his concentration, the blonde didn't the leg sweep until he was on the ground, but he quickly recovered and rolled to the side, twirling back onto his feet, his blade held in front of him. Jaune caught the sharp edge of Raven's blade with the flat of his blade. Retreating just out of her reach, he charged again, feinting to the left, and attempting a right slash.

Raven deftly deflected the blow and thrust her blade forward. Jaune narrowly evaded another blow by shifting his body, her blade a mere centimeter away from missing. He didn't retaliate, instead falling back to a defensive position. Now knowing that he couldn't match Raven in terms of physical strength, he fell back to his defensive moves.

He might be able to keep it up for enough time to be able to glance a strike back. It was risky, and it could all be for nothing, could being the key word. Jaune took any chance that he could get, however unlikely.

Raven's rapid strikes and more refined sword technique was forcing Jaune to keep his blade tight to his body to conserve energy. So far, she hadn't been able to pierce his defenses, but she didn't show any signs of slowing either.

Jaune weaved to the right, and fell into a roll, feeling her blade as it struck the place where he had been. He then began to do an elaborate weave of dance moves. It had some of the effect he wished. His legs off-balanced Raven's blade, but it did not disarm her as he intended it to. The window of opportunity was there though, and he went for a kick to the chest.

Raven was slightly taken by surprise when Jaune had used dance moves against her to disrupt her. Then she felt a slight kick to her chest. It didn't hurt, but again she was surprised by the force behind it for a child.

Flipping backwards and reorienting herself, Raven quickly held her blade in a defensive position. Jaune's defenses were better than his offense, and she knew it would be easier to get him to attack first and retaliate back swiftly and with complexity.

So she didn't charge forward, instead waiting for her prey to come to her. She held a mildly serious face, but the smallest of smirks was painted on her lips as well. This was actually kind of fun. Maybe not challenging, but still fun all the same.

Once again, the two of them circled each other, neither willing to make the first strike. So maybe it wouldn't be that easy to bait Jaune into attacking. He appeared to be waiting for her to attack as well. That meant he must know exactly what she knows and he was trying to play it smart.

Then a thought came to Raven. Sometimes, the best way to win was to turn an opponent's strengths against them, make them believe that they had the advantage. She knew now that Jaune was just waiting for an offensive lapse so that he could counter in a single stroke. She'd seen this strategy before. Hell, she used it herself to end fights before they even began.

So Raven once again moved forward, holding her weapon with one hand and began another offensive moveset. She noted that how dangerously close Jaune's longsword was to his body as he absorbed and deflected her own sword. His movements were also small and conservative. Jaune was trying hard to conserve energy; likely he was already exhausted and outmatched in terms of aura and physique.

Raven pressed forward, continuing to hammer away at her opponent's defenses. Her consumption of aura was almost non-existent since she was on the offensive and keeping it that way not to mention years of practice.

Raven quickly switched from her own technique to one that Qrow would use. She fought with less strikes, but with more power to them. In order to compensate for the decrease of strikes, she made sure to aim them more precisely. This sudden change had Jaune pushed back, his eyes now darting at her blade and remaining focused on her.

In that instant, Raven knew how to end the fight.

Disengaging, she backed away and held her blade in a casual ready stance. She simply stood there, and watched him.

It he took the bait, she could end the fight. If he didn't take it, then she knew of a few more ways to end the fight.

Raven caught a look in Jaune's eyes and he moved to attack, and she held her blade out. The second his blade made the first move to attack, she quickly disengaged, and then opened a portal with her blade. She was gone only for an instant before reappearing and knocking Jaune to the ground, his blade knocked from his grasp.

What happened next surprised her; he didn't let that be the end of him. Instead of admitting surrender, he quickly recovered from the blow and retaliated. In his fall, he managed to lash out with a kick, which Raven caught with her hand. Then he lashed out with his other leg before she knew it and he had effectively disarmed her.

He rolled back onto his feet.

Neither of them moved into a fighting stance, just simply stood there, looking at each other for some sort of reaction.

Raven responded first.

"Very clever," Raven nodded. "Using my own tactic against me."

"No," he shook his head, "I reacted on instinct. I had no idea what you were doing, so I let instinct guide me."

Now Raven understood better; Jaune had likely been slightly panicked and initiated an option that was a last desperate gamble to force them into a draw. Not a very good way to end a fight, but it had worked in his favor this time.

"For your age," Raven gestured to him. "You perform at a much higher standard. You defenses are strong. Your offensive is lacking; if you are on the defensive all the time, your opponents are going to think you can't attack."

"That's exactly it," Jaune shrugged. "I want to goad my opponents into believing they will defeat me as long as I'm on the defensive."

"That strategy is useful only when you have the time to do," Raven pointed out. "If time isn't a luxury you possess, you'll have to be offensive at times, and aggressively so."

This wasn't anything new to Jaune. Jennings had said it before, and if Jaune had it his way, it would be said over and over again. Asking him to change his fighting style was like asking him to change who he was.

Jaune Arc was a defender, not an attacker. He wielded a sword and shield to defend the weak, not attack the enemy. The thought of killing anyone, innocent or evil, didn't sit well in his mind.

Would he kill if necessary? Yes he would if that's what it took.

Did it mean he had to like doing so? No, it did not.

"I'm not a sword on the battlefield," Jaune picked up his weapon. "I'm the shield, a defender. I know that I am no executioner, and any life that I take will be on my conscious."

"You say that now," Raven replied. "But time has a way of changing how we see the world. Don't be so hasty in deciding who you are. It's not what we were made to be that define who we are. It's our actions that define us."

Right now, Jaune listened to the words, but they didn't have much of an effect on him. To him, those words meant nothing to him. He already knew who he was, what he was. He was a defender of Atlas, a soldier that served to protect. His decisions and the orders of his superiors were all that mattered. He would follow orders because they were for the greater good. Perhaps some of them were not right, but some wrongs had to be done.

Jaune didn't want to seem like he didn't care for the words, but just the same, he didn't believe them, at least not now. So he did the only thing worth doing: he stared hard at Raven's crimson eyes, watching to see if she had any more words of wisdom, pithy or otherwise.

There were none.

In silence, the two of them returned to their camp and began to shut down for the day. It had been quite a taxing day, even for Raven. Raven kept a watchful eye on Jaune as he kept to himself only sparing a glance at her every now and then. Whether he realized it or not, she was just trying to help him see the world for what it was. Although he understood some things, he didn't understand them all. He may be able to understand others just fine, but Raven wondered if Jaune was capable of that same understanding himself just as well.

She wasn't good with kids, not as well as Taiyang and Qrow. They were teachers as far as she knew, so they had a handle on how to deal with these sort of interactions. And the fact that they had Yang and little Ruby to take care of made that all the more abundantly clear.

She almost smiled at that last thought. Ruby Rose, possibly the only thing left of Summer Rose. She'd never seen the girl before, but she was aware of her existence. She wouldn't find out more, because it wasn't her business. That was Taiyang's business to deal with now. She'd only make a mess of things if she dared to find out more.

A thought popped into Raven's mind to ease the tension in the air.

"Are you familiar with fairy tales, Jaune," she asked.

"No," he responded. "I never had time. It just never seemed relevant to what I'm doing in my life."

"Then I will tell you one," she said. "This one is called the Four Season Maidens. It's a tale that's been passed down for many generations, even before the Great War. There was once an old man…"

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Penny Polendina was rather disheartened by the absence of her best and only friend, Jaune Arc. It was a shame that she couldn't go with him to watch his back as he treked through the wilds alone.

Although she was allowed more liberties than her friend due to the fact that as a robot she had the ability to assimilate knowledge instantaneously, she spent as much time as she could here at base with her blond-haired friend.

Penny was well aware that Jaune needed to learn how to fight, but she assessed that at his rate, he'd be a match for virtually anyone he came across. Already he was more than capable of holding his own against her onslaught of attacks. His defenses were well on their way to becoming nigh-impenetrable. And his ability to shift tactics on the fly was an invaluable asset to his combat prowess.

But even Jaune wouldn't be able to stop every threat in his path alone, and yet he insisted on doing so. Penny wouldn't allow him to be like this. She was his partner through thick and thin. She would look after him and help him whenever it was within her ability.

And right now, helping him was beyond her.

So while Penny was deprived of her partner, she recalled on all of her memories regarding their interactions.

There was the first time that she had healed a wound for him. He'd been rather upset that he failed and gotten a scar to show for it. Jaune didn't know it, but one of Penny's primary programmings was to ensure the safety of the only subject of Project Sapphire. He represented not only a major investment in the Atlas military, but also the key to world peace alongside her.

At first, healing him was merely coding, but as she looked into his eyes and saw that look, something inside her wanted him to be a friend. That day had changed her outlook on Jaune. She had desired some sort of company beyond what she had. Being friends with Jaune hadn't occurred to her since they both had important roles to play, but once he started to be more friendly to her, it was hard to ignore.

There was that time they were together as they fought through a Grimm-infested forest in the training simulator. They covered each other's back, called out Grimm attacks that they couldn't see and spotted opportunity.

There was the first time that Jaune had actually battled to a draw in a game of chess against Penny. Being a robot, Penny had a keen ability for strategy. She knew that Jaune did as well, but she didn't expect him to get it this fast. It had been a very long game that one. By the time the game was over, Jaune and Penny had whittled their pieces down to a knight and bishop for Jaune and a rook and knight for Penny.

There were countless times where she had listened to Jaune as he played his guitar, the only gift given to him by Lieutenant Holden Jennings. Sometimes he played to let out emotions, sometimes, he played a song for Penny, and sometimes, he played just to play. Penny did always like the more soft-sounding music. But it was Jaune, so she really didn't mind too much what he played.

There was also the time that she made him laugh by attempting to tell him a joke. She wasn't sure what was considered a good joke, but she had to try. In actuality, it was a pun joke, nothing really complicated. It started when Jaune had learned about her being a robot.

* * *

 _"I'm…," Penny looked really sheepish. "I'm...a robot. I'm not a real Human."_

 _Her eyes searched his for any sort of indication of rejection. She wouldn't put it past him to do something like that. Humans shunned what they did not understand, called it strange, evil, abnormal, freaky, any insult that suited them. All one had to do was look at the Faunus and the White Fang for living proof._

 _And he did the thing that she didn't expect him to do: he took her hand._

 _She flinched, but didn't try to resist him._

 _"This is unexpected," he said, letting out a breath. "But why are you afraid of telling me? What does this change?"_

 _He wasn't being serious. How could he say that so casually?_

 _"If you were worried about a poor reaction," Jaune stated, "Then don't be; you're my only friend. How could I be cruel to a friend?"_

 _Penny's eyes narrowed in suspicion. She wasn't quite sure that he was being genuine. She needed to be sure._

 _"You're taking this surprisingly well," Penny said._

 _"Penny," he took her other hand, "What did you expect from me? Rejection? Disgust? I've seen the person you are. You're no different than a Human."_

 _"But," Penny sputtered, "But-"_

 _"But nothing," Jaune cut her off, "We're partners. There isn't anything that's going to change my mind about that. I've got your back because you've got mine. Do you think I care about trivial things like this?"_

 _Penny couldn't deny that much. Jaune had been raised in a way to believe that all people were equal regardless of species. Why should her situation be no different?_

 _"You have an aura, Penny," Jaune continued. "And that means you have a soul. That has to count for something."_

 _Penny stopped staring into her lap and looking longingly at Jaune. There was no trace of hidden deceit. All of his words were clear, crisp, and pure. It was just like him._

 _She smiled brighter, then she grabbed him into a bear hug. Caught off guard, Jaune's eyes widened. For a moment, he didn't reciprocate. Penny wouldn't pulled away to apologize to him for doing such a thing, but then he put his arms around her._

 _She might be a robot, but Penny knew that the soaring of emotions she felt inside of her were real. Jaune was real._

 _They slowly let go of each other._

 _"So…" he scratched the back of his head. "Do you eat food or do you have batteries or something," Jaune asked her._

 _"Oh, no," she smiled. "I can operate like any living person can. And besides, even if I did use batteries, there would be a lot of them used up. But then again, the dead batteries are free of charge."_

 _Jaune let a fully-fledged laugh._

* * *

Thankfully Jaune had laughed and that somehow made her smile even more than she already was. Maybe it was a good thing that he was raised outside of normal society standards, or he might otherwise shrug off or disregard the attempt at humor.

Just as much as she was there for him, he was there for her. Countless times, he had put himself on the line to save her from blows.

"Penny," a voice called out.

The orange-haired girl turned her head to see General Ironwood approaching her. She gave the man her full attention.

"Yes sir," she asked.

"It's time for the new upgrade," he waved her forward.

She nodded her head and quietly began to follow her commander. It didn't take long for Ironwood to deduce why Penny was strangely silent.

"You're worried about Jaune," he deduced.

"Permission to speak freely," she said.

"Granted," Ironwood nodded.

"I worry about him everyday," she said. "We're suppose to become the defenders of Atlas, and saviors of the world. We're suppose to protect and help each other. And I'm here and he's out there in danger."

"Have no fear, Penny," he put a hand on he shoulder. "Jaune's been trained by the best. He will come back."

"He'll be okay," she looked up.

"He will be okay," the general affirmed. "And he will have new experiences to shape him. He will be even better in battle."

She still didn't look convinced, but she would have to take what she could get. The mission details wouldn't be explained to her in full until Jaune returned, and she didn't want to push her luck and try to hack into the surveillance equipment that was monitoring her partner's progress.

For now, she had to think about what was happening right now. Her father had told her that soon, her current physical model would need to be upgraded with some new technology that was fresh off of the assembly line. It was suppose to increase her combat capabilities as well as give her even more Human personality traits. Her evolving development was in accordance to the growth of a natural female Human.

That didn't mean that she couldn't rewrite or reprogram herself with some new coding to show her own evolution, but seeing as she was the first living robot with aura, it was a work in progress trying to perfect artificial intelligence performance. Atlas had already invested so much money into A.I. research that the council expected results and good ones. So updates weren't just recommended; they were now mandatory.

Of course Penny's father had been sure to tell the council that his little girl wasn't going to experimented like a mouse. She was an autonomous intelligent life, and because of this, she was entitled to all the things that a organic person had. Her father had been very adamant about that. And because of the influence of her father, the council had to respect this.

She was very fortunate to have a loving father and a wonderful best friend.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Blake Belladonna stood among her brothers and sisters of the White Fang as she protested once again like she had done for so many years in her life.

The cat Faunus had done this for as long as she could remember. She didn't have parents that she knew about, nor any family that she knew of either. Her fellow Faunus in the White Fang were all that mattered to her.

Of course there was her real close friend Adam Taurus. He too was very passionate about Faunus rights, and he was always eager to go out and make a difference. He did this because of more than just wanting to do it. To Adam, it was his duty to fight for his oppressed brothers and sisters, and that was the reason Blake always stuck close to him.

Some White Fang members talked about being less protest-oriented and more action-oriented. Some felt that not enough was being achieved, or nothing at all for that matter. Already there was talk of changing how the White Fang operated because Humans only responded to change when it violent. Some felt that Humans deserved the same sort of subjugation and oppression as they had been dishing out.

Blake didn't think like these people, and this sort of idea was a minority thinking at best. The White Fang wasn't about using violent means to lash out at Humans. That would only serve as fuel for Human hatred against Faunus.

That being said, that didn't meant that Faunus of the White Fang were defenseless. They did know how to defend themselves if the situation called for it. However, that was all that any member of the White Fang ever did: self-defense. It was a rule that was strictly enforced by the leaders. The last thing that they wanted to do was intentionally provoke the wrong people. Their image thus far was untarnished as a result of this strict adherence.

Even when issues of threats against the Fanus group were public knowledge, still they continued their protests. It would be a bad move on the part of any aggressors to attack an anti-violence group. The media simply had a field day on any form of violence, regardless of who did it.

But then again, Humans might try to twist any violence on their part to suit their needs. They weren't above using such tactics to spite the Faunus.

Blake wanted to believe that through all of this that there were good Humans out there. She had seen a few acts of kindness here and there, but she wanted to see it more. She wanted Faunus and Humans to be able to hold hands together as people, friends, family, and even loved ones.

One could dream, but Blake wanted to dream and also do something about it. So she held her protest sign higher, and cried out her own chant. One day, she would see that Faunus all across Remnant were given a chance to have equality.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Pyrrha Nikos chanted the words again just the previous few times that she had said them.

They were the words to unlock an aura for anyone without an aura. She would remember them and understand what they meant with time. She only understood parts of it now, but with time, she would learn more. She was always ready for learning. Her grades showed as much.

It wouldn't be long before she began her training her parents had said. Of course a year still felt like forever to the little girl, so much that kept asking her parents if the day had come yet.

Ever since a few years ago, Pyrrha had felt that it wasn't merely a want that drove her to become a huntsman, but something called destiny. Note the destiny such as predetermined fate, but the ultimate goal to work towards. She had told her parents about this and they had smiled and said that she could indeed become a huntress.

It was surprising that they seemed to approve of this desire given the fact that they were not warriors themselves, but Pyrrha didn't dare to look any further into it. She was grateful for being given the opportunity.

The reason she had to wait another year was because a lot of work needed to forward to preparing her for a combat school.

The first was to make sure she had a working aura. Having a semblance wasn't a requirement as some warriors could get by without the use of an aura. That one was already covered. Pyrrha had begun to experiment in its uses, still amazed at aura.

The second was to see what sort of fighter she was going to be. Preliminary tests had to conducted so as to see what sort of weapon she would wield, if any, and how she fought. Pyrrha fancied a simple one-handed weapon and shield. It just made sense in her mind having an offensive and a defensive tool.

The third and final one was to apply for a school that would accept her. As with all combat schools, there were rules and regulations to follow. A child's life was at stake after all, and angry parents made for bad news and publicity for schools. So children had to meet basic standards before entry was allowed. Pyrrha wasn't concerned about this portion.

Pyrrha wished to excel, but the prospect of meeting other kids like her was just as exciting. She didn't have friends, though she did try to be friendly as much as she could. It was common courtesy her parents told her. And it was better to have people like you than to be meanies.

"Pyrrha," a voice called out.

The girl turned her head to see her mother gesturing her, and she got up out of her seat.

"Is it time, mommy," she asked.

"It is," her mother smiled. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Pyrrha cheered.

"Don't be afraid, my daughter," she said. "I'll be there every step of the way."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Yang Xiao Long stared at the roof of her bedroom, or rather the bedroom of her shared room with Ruby Rose, her baby sister.

Today was a day of nothing really. Her dad was home for the day as he taught at Signal Academy, and so he had work to do. Yang knew better than to disturb him though. When he was busy like this, he could be a bit irritable when he was disturbed.

But Yang wanted his attention more though. For what had seemed like a long time, her dad had been less emotional and more remote even from his daughters. Ruby wasn't quite so attentive as she was younger, but Yang did notice these things a bit more.

It was because their mom wasn't there for her. Summer Rose, that was her name. She was supermom as Yang had called her. She made them wonderful means, and she was an awesome fighter. And when she hadn't come back, Yang saw this really sad look in her dad's eyes. It had been like this for...how long had it been like this?

Whenever she asked her dad for some time with him, he would mostly shrug her off as gently as she could. She pouted and even threw a few tantrums to try and change that, but it hadn't worked at all.

And if she wasn't trying to get his attention, she was playing with her sister Ruby or trying to play with whatever friends she could get outside of home, which wasn't many. Yang was also not happy at the fact that her dad was really carried away with who she played with. It felt like sometimes he didn't want her to be friends with anyone.

Also the fact that Yang had tried to look for her real birth mother and almost died because of it didn't help her dad's case of the frowns.

"Yang," her sister cooed. "Pay attention to me."

Yang was shook from her thoughts and saw he sister. Her little sister was seven years old, and when their mom had left, she didn't really cry like Yang and their dad did. How could she though? Yang barely understood the concept of death, and Ruby hadn't even heard the word before. In a way, the elder sister felt grateful and jealous that Ruby could be so not sad about it.

"Sorry, Rubes," Yang smirked. "So what do you wanna do now?"

"Dunno," Ruby cried out.

"Then why did you ask," Yang asked.

"Because," Ruby thought. "I...uh..."

"You don't know," Yang answered.

"I'm thinking," Ruby scolded. "Don't rush me."

"Tick tock, tick tock," Yang sounded. "Do you know now?"

"Uh..."

"You know what, Ruby? When you figure it out, then tell me."

"No," the younger girl shook her head. "I want you to pay attention to me."

Yang shook her head. This could be a while...

 **I lied about the last chapter being the last update before the semester begins. This is the last chapter before the semester begins.**

 **You can call the last parts of this chapter omakes of sorts. I felt the need to begin introducing other characters, even to a small degree. The primary eight characters will all have one somewhere, except Jaune because this story is about, well, him.**

 **That's going to change as soon as we get into the story more. I want to give other characters just as much importance as our protagonist.**

 **And a strange thought that I need to get down. When I saw the symbol on the back of Adam Taurus's trenchcoat, my first thought was Alex Mercer from Prototype. Is that just me? And now I got a great idea, but I'm a little tied down to be able to get it down right now.**

 **As for ships, the top three still remain Pyrrha, Yang, and Blake, again not in that order. When Chapter ten is released, I'm going to close the poll, so this is your last chance to get in on influencing the story pairings. Go vote if you haven't. For those of you who write reviews with your favorite ship, I appreciate the opinion, but like I've said before, I'm disregarding those.**

 **Anyway, if you guys want more of this story, leave a review for me. If you hated this chapter, I'd like to know why. And feedback and ideas are always appreciated.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, the secret of getting ahead is getting started.**

 **Peace!**


	10. Chapter 10: The Final Leg

Chapter 10: The Final Leg

 **Somewhere in the Grimm Wilds…**

Jaune followed Raven very closely as they continued their navigation through the more dangerous part of the forest. Grimm were more prevalent in this area, not to mention in more variety as well.

The two severed heads of a King Taijitu lay at their feet along with the body some distance away. Jaune looked down to see that his outfit had seen better days; covered in blood, dirt, and a few scuffs, it could stand for some mending.

"How much further," he asked.

"I believe what you're looking for is right over this hillside," Raven said. "There's a clearing with a tower. It's an old communications tower, but I've seen it work before strangely enough."

The rest of the journey to this point was lined with more complexity. The forest had hidden clues as to the location of this place. A few pieces of scrap here, an old sign there, and a few symbols etched into rocks, all of them unmistakably resembling Atlas in one form or another. None of them were clues were a dead giveaway to any location of importance, but they were enough to point them in the right direction.

Jaune had begun to suspect that he wasn't the first to be out in this place. It just seemed a little too convenient, a little too easy to navigate, and just a little too easy to get through all of it. He kept this reservation in his head though. The last thing they needed was another potential concern hanging over their heads.

And speaking of concerns, Jaune was still unsure about what Raven really wanted to do with him. To him, she was only there because she needed Human contact after having been rather deprived of this for many years. She had explained about her old life with her former love interest, someone called Taiyang Xiao Long. He didn't question what Raven said, only listened to what she was willing to give. In a way, he was reminded of being ripped away from normality, or more like aware of being in a similar situation.

And the more Raven spoke of family, the more Jaune began to feel a bit guilty about not having one to remember and tell about.

That thought lasted a moment as he rethought who he considered family. Penny was family to him, a sister. Ironwood was his father figure, he supposed, in terms of morals and thinkings. And Jennings, despite being difficult to train with, was like a mentor to the boy, another father figure.

So he did have a family. Maybe not a biological family one, but a family. Did family even really mean related by blood?

"We're here," Raven said. "See over there?"

Jaune followed the huntress's pointed finger to a structure in the distance. It was indeed a tower, and it bore Atlas symbols all over it.

This had to be a place where trainees went besides him. But who else besides him would come here he wondered?

 _Perhaps General Ironwood sends his students here,_ a voice in his head called out. _You're not the only kid out there who's training. You just started much earlier than others did._

Jaune held Crocea Mors tightly as he and Raven made their way to the tower. As it became closer, Jaune instantly recognized that the technology didn't look ancient, far from it. The logo of Atlas was slightly faded and there were some marks and scratches adorning various spots. It looked like Grimm had tried to tamper with it.

Jaune looked to Raven, who shrugged her shoulders.

"It's your ride," she said. "I'll be here until you need to go. Then you're on your way back home."

Home was a military base in a classified location of Atlas. It was nothing like the home that Raven described on the island of Patch near the kingdom of Vale. The huntress had spoken of a house that was sizable and splendid, but not bragging or flaunting. It was a place that was a place that had once been a place of pure happiness.

Imagine an open field of grass, the sun shining brightly upon it, lighting the green up even more than it already was. Brightly-colored flowers of varying types dotted the field. Then imagine a small hillside where a house resided. A simple house really, but still roomy. A single gravel road leading up to it with maybe enough room for two vehicles.

It sounded pleasant, but Jaune wasn't really sure if he getting the image right. He knew nothing about civilian life, and his forgetful childhood life with his first family hadn't offered him any help in this picturing.

It didn't matter anyway, as much as that sounded rude. Raven didn't seem to want to dwell for too long on that thought as it seemed to cause her more pain than joy. It was past history, and what was more important was now and the future.

Spotting a control panel, Jaune began to input his own information, the system recognizing him. When Jaune saw Raven looking anywhere but at what he was doing, he didn't question it.

Raven meanwhile wasn't sure what exactly Jaune was. This was Atlas military technology, and he was interfacing with it. That had to mean...Jaune was conscripted. If that were the case, that would explain a lot about his character. She didn't comment on it, because she felt that she'd only get more questions than answers.

Perhaps this was something to leave undisturbed for now, but she wouldn't forget.

Jaune gained access to the network through some deft and quick technical know-how; it was a sort of hidden skill of his, and the fact that neither General Ironwood nor Lieutenant Jennings knew this was even better. The best didn't always have to show their skills.

The second Jaune finished sending out the message, a small whine could be heard by him and Raven. They both looked around for a second, momentarily confused. It had come from the tower.

Their confusion lasted only moments as the familiar sound of roars from the forest echoed all around them.

Jaune let out a small curse, which didn't go unnoticed by Raven.

"You seem worried," Raven said, still staring at the forest.

"Not really," Jaune unsheathed Crocea Mors. "But Grimm hordes and I have some really bad history."

"I see," Raven replied. "But I'm here, so fret not."

Jaune wasn't sure she was being serious, or she was trying to get a laugh out of him. And truthfully, Grimm hordes had been something that he had to deal with almost on a weekly basis now. He had developed his own tactics to dealing with Grimm. From experience, he had learned Grimm weak points, and now he used them to great effect.

The only reason for him to mess up on those simulations was because exhaustion got to him, and that was the cause of his slip-ups. And the only reason for him to die here was because extraction couldn't get her fast,

But Jaune wasn't going to die here. He had promises to keep, duties to fulfill.

Jaune intercepted a paw from a Beowolf and swiftly made an undercut to its neck, and then a decapitation.

Raven was nearby as she almost casually traded blows with Ursai. She didn't even move, her footing remaining as it was. And with just as little effort as she was defending, she lashed out and dealt a swift death to her opponents.

Jaune backed up, his blade at the ready. The impact of something against his back, alerted his head to turn.

It was only Raven with his back to his own.

"So what now, Jaune," Raven asked.

The blond seriously doubted that she asked him that because she didn't know what to do. She was a huntress from Beacon Academy, Jaune recalled. She had to be testing him somehow.

Jaune took time to analyze his surroundings. No doubt that Beowolf packs were on their way. Ursai were bound to be in pairs of groups of three. They could count on at least one or two King Taijitu. And perhaps a Nevermore would top it off.

The first thing to do was to take out the Beowolfs.

"Use the numbers of the Beowolves against them," he said. "Take Ursa out as fast as possible, avoid King Taijitu until all previous threats are dealt with."

"And what of the potential of Nevermores," Raven raised her blade.

"...clip the wings," Jaune answered.

"Not a very original plan," Raven commented. "But at least it'll work."

If Jaune was affected by the slight jab to his plan, he ignored it. It wasn't meant to be original. It was just a plan that was meant to serve his purpose.

The two of them split to engage Beowolf packs. Jaune relied on use of speed and his small size to get his kills. Raven called upon her more skilled blade work to kill.

Raven ducked from a blow and dashed to the Ursa's side and slashed, her blade cutting through it in an instant. She flipped out of the way, sheathing her blade, then drawing it again, switching the dust properties coated on the blade.

Jaune infused Crocea Mors with some of his aura, and touching the tip to the ground, the energy lanced out in multiple locations. The Grimm were thrown around like rag dolls at this wave of energy.

Jaune rushed forward and slashed two Beowolves before they could rise, never sparing a glance at the already-dead enemies, only moving forward. A Beowolf swung, missing him by a mile and he retaliated with a sharp impale to the chest, inflicting a serious wound. The Grimm clutched its wound before its brain was destroyed by Crocea Mors.

An Ursa slammed into him, but Jaune didn't falter, going with the movement and rolling backwards, landing on his feet, facing the giant enemy. It roared at him and advanced on him.

This was an unusually large Ursa, something that was many times larger than himself. He wouldn't kill this thing with his strikes, at not immediately. Even his strongest strike would not kill instantly.

Jaune dodged to the left, and the Ursa followed him, so the boy dropped to the ground and rolled to the right. The Ursa seemed to be able to follow him no matter where he went, and always seemed able to attack before he could counter.

Jaune frowned at this; this had to be a Grimm that had lived for a considerable amount of time. Not all Grimm were mindless as some believed, but could be very intelligent given enough time and experience. Really, when it came to learning, Grimm were no different than Humans and Faunus. Lacking a soul didn't mean they lacked a mind too.

And that was perhaps why it was better to perpetuate the myth that all Grimm were mindless creatures.

But this was no time for a lesson in Grimm intelligence.

Jaune put some distance between his foe, trying to assess anything around him that might be useful. There were no trees around, at least none that would give him the proper momentum he wanted and needed.

Wait.

Momentum.

Jaune's eyes lifted slightly at an idea before refocusing his attention back to the fight at hand.

Both Human and Grimm stared each other down, and then Jaune charged forward. The Grimm didn't move, but waited for the blond to get into range before it lashed out with one of its paws.

Jaune, instead of ducking under the claw or evading it, grabbed onto it, and held onto it. The Ursa looked dazed for a split second before it tried to shake him off, which gave the Atlas trainee the needed momentum to swing himself up into the air. Using a combination of his aura and gravity, Jaune impaled the Ursa into its skull. The Grimm didn't fall, still trying to fight him despite a gaping wound to its head.

When it tried to swipe Jaune off of its head, Jaune leaped into the air, and back to impale its head once again, and then he did a backflip, landing flat on his feet. Still the Ursa roared at him in challenge. So Jaune did the only thing he could think of.

He took aim and swung his sword.

The blade hits its mark as it impaled into the eye of the Grimm and into its skull a third time. This time, the Ursa groaned before collapsing into a bloody heap.

Jaune surveyed his surroundings to find that the Grimm seemed a bit spooked out by his victory, and were pulling back. Raven was nearby, watching them go as well. The blond jogged up to her after retrieving his sword from the dead Ursa.

"They'll be back," Raven said. "Count on it."

"I am," he said. "I've dealt with their kind enough."

Jaune propped himself on a rock, Crocea Mor's tip against the hard ground. He wasn't winded, at least not yet. However, that fight with the Ursa Major had drained more of his aura than he wanted to use.

There was still no sign of evacuation anywhere. Jaune looked to the control tower, and he could still see it was transmitting. Airships were fast, but how fast would it get here? Or maybe the better question to be asking was how far was this ship?

"Do you know how long this evac will take," Raven turned to him.

"I couldn't say," Jaune shrugged. "The details were...scarce."

"Ah," Raven lit up. "One of those."

"Those," Jaune asked.

"Perhaps a story for another time," Raven dismissed, "If I ever see you again."

"I think you will," Jaune stared off.

Raven didn't respond to his words nor did she give any indication as to whether she agreed or disagreed with that assessment. She wasn't even sure herself what to make of their brief but somehow agreeable relationship.

And the more she spent time with Jaune the more she began to grow attached to him. It wasn't good for her to have a potential loose end, but it feel nice to fight with someone at her side again, even if a novice in the big scheme of things. The nostalgia of fighting like this was a throwback to her days at Beacon in almost every way.

But could a novice taken down an Ursa like he did? She knew of huntsman and huntresses in training who might have difficulty with one of the giant monstrosities. Give him another decade or so of training and experience and how far would he go?

Raven wondered if she would even allow Jaune to find her ever again. It would be easy to watch her from her domain in the shadows and not breathe a wink of existence. He might pursue her, but she could find a way to remain illusive. She was good at it, one of the best.

And yet she had spent enough time to know that she wasn't about to forget a kid with a potential greater than any she had seen to date. Whoever was teaching Jaune had obviously done their job well, but the kid could with better, she knew. He needed more teachers, ones that could understand different aspects of his abilities and allow him to practice said abilities to the Nth degree.

And if there was one thing Raven despised, it was to leave such raw potential untrained and unhoned.

The screech of a Nevermore made her eyes wander up. Predictably, the flying Grimm was circling above them, trying to spot them. Or maybe it already had and was simply waiting for their move.

And stranger yet was it hadn't fired its feather at them. And with the relatively open area, it wouldn't be hard to pin them down and allow the ground Grimm to finish them off. Then again, the other Grimm had fled, likely because they saw that Ursa Major go down. It was to be expected that the body would fail to respond once a head was cut off.

"You don't have a ranged weapon do you, Jaune?"

"I've never felt the need for one."

"You should always have one, or some means to attack from a distance. Nevermores can be dangerous in close quarters if you don't know how to fight one."

"All that needs to be done is for the wings to be clipped," Jaune suggested. "If it can't fly, it loses a massive advantage."

"It's not quite that simple," Raven shook her head. "If it were, they wouldn't be classified as such a dangerous Grimm. But you are right; it's only a matter of luring it close enough."

"And you would do that how," Jaune questioned.

Raven studied the movement of the massive dark bird as it continued to circle above. In all of her time fighting Grimm, Nevermores were some of the more challenging in terms of intelligence. They weren't Goliath-intelligent, but they did have more than Beowolves and Ursai or any ground Grimm for that matter.

In order to lure a Nevermore to the ground, the Grimm had to be assured of victory. It liked to grab prey in its talons. Avoiding them was dangerous, but it also the only way to open up a window of attack.

"Have you practice landings from really high up?" Raven didn't let her eyes linger from the Nevermore.

"Yes," Jaune responded immediately.

"Good," Raven said, "Because we're going for a ride."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

If Jaune was a normal person, he might cringe and shout and protest this course of action. However, Jaune wasn't normal, and looking past the lunacy that this idea displayed on the outside, it was actually the only real plan that would yield some result.

Raven had explained in detail about what to do. It all made sense to the boy, and he had made certain that he was clear about everything that needed to be done. They would only get one chance at this. Any hesitation or mistake here and the Nevermore could learn and not repeat the same mistake, or they could end up injured.

Or dead.

The two warriors had picked a more open area near the communications tower to wait for the Nevermore to attack. Jaune had immediately assumed that no evacuation would come unless that thing was dealt with.

And that motivated him to not mess this up.

"We wait," Jaune asked.

"We wait," Raven agreed.

They didn't have to do so for long as the Nevermore immediately spotted them and began to converge on their location. The two of them had to dodge to avoid feathers meant to split them in half. Neither of them went into cover, allowing the Grimm to keep them in its sights.

The Nevermore let out a screech as it tried to clip them with its beak, but missed, and instead found two unwanted passengers clinging onto it. In a cry of indignation, the dark bird began to try and shake them off.

Jaune felt his stomach begin to do flips. His stupid motion sickness was coming back to bite him. Raven saw his queasiness through his pained expressions.

"JAUNE," Raven shouted. "FORCE IT DOWN!"

The boy clutched tighter to the Grimm as it flew in an even more randomized pattern, all the while channeling his aura to try and calm his body down. He felt himself return to normal, which wasn't how it worked usually.

"I'm FINE," he called out over the rushing wind.

"GOOD, THEN START CLIMBING!"

Raven stabbed her weapon into the side of the Grimm, a small screech of pain reaching their ears. She continued to slowly climb onto the back of the Nevermore. Jaune used his own weapon to do the same, mimicking the huntress's moves as much as he could. She knew what she was doing, he hoped.

The feeling of nausea strangely didn't return and this puzzled Jaune immensely, but he didn't allow his confusion to stop him from surviving.

The Nevermore began to flip upside down, and that only inspired the two to hold on tighter. Raven kept a steady eye on Jaune as he climbed, as this was undoubtedly his first time taking down a Nevermore.

Once they were firmly planted on the Grimm's back, Raven activated her sheath's rotary chambers, and coating her blade in fine ice dust. With the white-blue blade in hand, she waited for the Nevermore to level out again. Once it did, she called upon her aura to channel into her weapon.

The combined effect of the dust and her own aura made the Nevermore's back and top of its wings coat in ice. Now the Grimm was incapable of changing flight directions lest it want to crash.

But it would be long dead before it hit the ground.

"JAUNE, NOW!"

The boy channeled his own aura into his blade, and using his own aura-augmentation, he smashed the blade into the center of the ice spread. Like a shatter point, any part of the Nevermore touched by the coating of ice shattered. A few of shards caught Raven off balance and she felt a twinge of pain. Jaune instinctively shielded his eyes from any stray shards.

Raven didn't wait for Jaune to recover as she grabbed his free hand and took him over the side with her.

But before they both disengaged from the Grimm, Raven coated her blade in red dust, rushed forward to stab the neck, then infusing an aura bomb into the wound she created.

As the two fell back towards the ground, the Nevermore's head became severed from its body, as the aura bomb triggered the red dust in its wound.

Now wingless and headless, the body tumbled down with them.

Raven saw the ground approaching fast and instinctively hugged Jaune closer to her, and he did the same. It was strange, hugging another person like this, but it was also possibly the best warm feeling that she had felt in...forever.

But they weren't going to die.

Raven created another portal, which they both fell into. And they reappeared near the Atlas communications tower. They both landed flat on their feet.

But Raven still held Jaune like her life depended upon it.

After only knowing for certain that they were safe, she carefully released him. He looked no worse for wear. In fact, he looked rather happy.

"That was…" he struggled to find the words.

"No need to say it," she waved a hand.

"Thank you, Raven," he replied.

Simple words that was so often repeated in an effort to convey gratitude, but Raven hadn't heard the words spoken to her in so long. And even better she could actually feel his gratitude in how he spoke.

His eyes then turned to look down.

"You're hurt," he said.

Raven then realized through all of this, she had neglected to see if she was okay physically. She could now see that her wounds, while not grievous, still needed to be looked at. She silently hissed.

"It's nothing," the huntress tried to play it off.

"Let me see," he offered. "I can try and do something."

It seemed that this boy was pushing herself into doing thing that she wouldn't normally do for strangers. Raven never liked to admit needing help, and being alone had provided her with the ability to heal at her own pace. Only her former team would ever know if she needed help.

And after seeing him fight Grimm, it was likely that he at least knew some basic medical things.

"I'm not sure what you can do," Raven admitted. "This will take time for aura to heal."

Despite her words, Raven carefully sat down as Jaune inspected the wound on her lower abdomen. His eyes narrowed as he was careful not to disturb any shards that could hurt her more.

As he tried to work something out, he became unaware that his aura was flashing white and seemingly reacting without his own will telling it what to do. Raven did notice this, and would've pointed it.

 _The wounds aren't fatal,_ a voice sounded in her mind, _But I do need to remove the shards in order for the wounds to heal properly._

Raven did well to not show surprise at hearing the sound of Jaune's voice in her mind, but knowing that he hadn't spoken.

Before she could think further, she felt a sharp pain as his hands grabbed onto the jagged pieces. He looked to the huntress for permission to do what he needed to do. She nodded her head.

With a quick but knowing hand, he removed the pieces, and Raven remained silent, but it still hurt. She pressed her lips together tightly to avoid any sound from being emitted.

And to her surprise and Jaune's surprise, the wounds began to heal instantaneously. The wounds closed within seconds, and when it was done, there wasn't a trace of any damage to her skin.

Raven got up and tested her body, not feeling any stiffness nor any pain. Contrary, she felt like she had just rested up and her energy felt like it had been replenished. Her aura still was recharging, but her body was fine otherwise.

"Well," Raven said lamely, "That was…"

"Strange," Jaune finished. "I don't suppose that was your handiwork?"

"No," the woman muttered. "My aura doesn't work like that, but I did notice yours acting up. Perhaps you had something to do with it."

"My aura," Jaune looked at his hands.

The slight sound of an airship approaching their position alerted the huntress, and she rose promptly, gathering her weapon and opening a portal.

"I must take my leave," she turned to the boy. "I...wish you success."

"And to you as well," he bowed slightly. "It was an honor to fight by a genuine huntress."

He held out a hand, and she didn't feel that it was enough to show how she felt; she once again embraced the boy, his response to not hug back for a moment.

"Take heed," she pulled back, her hands on his shoulders. "You have much to learn, but if your performance in our time is any indication, you will go far, this I have no qualms about."

He nodded his head, a sad smile on his lips. She imitated this.

And she reluctantly let him go, sparing one more glance before disappearing.

Jaune stared at the spot where she had been, then the sound of a bullhead resuming his attention back to getting back to base.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Renny," Nora cried out. "Come on. Get up. Pancakes!"

The boy known as Lie Ren knew better than to say no to his friend's desire to go eat pancakes. She loved them almost as much as she loved him she claimed. But Lie Ren wasn't sure he liked this one bit. Not that he didn't like pancakes, but he didn't like the idea of Nora liking a food more than himself.

Ren wasn't a selfish or spoiled type by any means, but one thing he lacked in life was a lot of friends. Nora was his only true friend that he trusted with his life, and he attributed it to the fact that she was everything he was not.

Everyone gravitated towards the ginger-haired girl when she was on the scene. It was just like her to be able to talk with most people she came across. It was a natural skill, and even more admirable that she cared little about the negative opinions about her. It was like nothing on this world could ever bring her down.

And their bond was strengthened by the fact that they were more or less on their own. They had no parents and therefore had to rely on each other. And despite maintaining a friendly relationship with other kids, the two of them shared this sort of unbreakable bond, or at least Ren liked to think so.

And that was why they visited each other often with their parent's permission of course.

"Renny," she whined. "Hurry up."

"Coming," Ren replied instantly.

The magenta-eyed boy followed his friend as they made their way through the hallways of her house and made their way into the dining room, where her parents were already setting out plates for food.

"Good morning, Nora," her mother announced. "Good morning, Ren."

She embraced both children despite Ren not being her own by blood. Then again, he and Nora were siblings in all but blood, so it stood to reason that her parents would treat him like their own, and vice versa.

"That's a new record, Ren," Nora's father spoke. "You're learning faster every time."

"With Nora," Ren commented. "Never delay when it comes to pancakes."

"Righto, dear boy," the man laughed. "And Nora, I hope you didn't hassle him too much."

"No dad," the girl smiled. "But I'm SOOO hungry."

"Well, dig in," her mother gestured to the table. "It's fresh."

Nora was already at the table and wolfing away at her plate before Ren even sat down and began to pick up his utensils.

"Nora," Ren deadpanned. "Remember to breathe."

"Hmm," Nora said.

When she tried to speak, her mouth spit out some of what she was chewing. And Ren only moved his head slightly to avoid said substance.

"Nora," her father scolded. "What did we say about talking with food in your mouth?!"

"To not to," Nora squeaked.

Ren smiled. Just like Nora.

 **Two characters in one omake. I'm well aware of the fact that Nora and Ren don't have parents that are alive or that they know about, but I feel like I should at least give them parents for this story since this isn't canon.**

 **From this point on, I'm going to accelerate the timeline of the story. We won't be at Beacon for a few more chapters at least because I have some more story plot to write as well as character development. I've got some crazy ideas that just might work.**

 **And speaking of characters, I took a look at the pole for ships with Jaune and I realized that the top three, which are STILL Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang, are very close in terms of votes. Really, all it could take is several more votes to shift who goes with Jaune. So I'm extending the pole availability for a few more hours after this chapter is uploaded. So this is your ABSOLUTE last chance to get your votes in and change the course of this story.**

 **Also, a final note: I'm currently working on another story, which I've dubbed "Reduxed Remnant." The details are classified right now, but I'm looking for some help in writing it. My knowledge of RWBY is good, but with college being my focus, I don't have the time to write more than three stories. So anyone with a broad knowledge of RWBY universe stuff can send me a PM. For the most part, this is like a co-written story. I've got some basic groundwork laid out, but I need ideas and input to make it better.**

 **If you loved this chapter, let me know with a review. If you hated this chapter, tell me why. And feedback and ideas are always appreciated.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and remember, do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.**

 **...that was a joke.**

 **...that was also a reference to** **...you probably don't care. Ah well, I tried.**

 **Peace out!**


	11. Chapter 11: Unleash the Angel's Power

Chapter 11: Unleash the Angel's Power

 **Three Years Later…**

"Councilors," General Ironwood sighed. "I understand the need to accelerate the project, but this a rather delicate phase for the subject. He is only twelve years old, barely at the pubescent stage."

"If we could give you more time we would," one of the councilors said, "But the fact of the matter is that the White Fang has changed leadership, and we have reason to believe that this new leadership won't be passive-aggressive in the least as their previous leadership has been."

"Which is why you need to accelerate the project to the final stages," another councilor said, "You said that your subject is progressing well?"

"The boy has exceeded all expectations for capabilities," Ironwood acknowledged. "But again, I must press the issue: he is still young."

"General," a third councilor countered. "This is not a request."

The man was kept his face professional and calm, but on the inside, James Ironwood was dealing with infighting amongst his thoughts.

Jaune was his pride and joy in so many ways. The boy had gone from weak child to skilled, level-headed, intelligent, and powerful adolescent. Six years had honed the boy into a deadly weapon. But the child wasn't without any sort of morality. Ironwood had always been around to instill the proper morals and ideal traits in order to ensure that Jaune was responsible and trustworthy. The boy looked up to him for Oum's sake, and on more than one account, James had considered him his own child.

And that was why he was so hesitant about this demand from the council. It was going to happen sooner or later, and James knew it. He didn't expect it to happen this soon however, nor did he desire it to happen this soon. Jaune's training was giving him the ability to deal with virtually any situation thrown at him, but the final stages of Project Sapphire were meant to give Jaune even more power and even more strength in battle.

Because the boy's aura levels were exceptionally high, it was decided that the next thing to do was to augment his aura capabilities and capacity even more. Thus came in the extremely classified and prototype technology designated "Hyper-Aura." It was new technology and very dangerous; it increased a person's aura levels to even higher degrees.

It worked by using pure and neutral dust that had no elementally-alignment, and forcefully infusing it with a person's aura. In addition to a major boost in aura levels, the wielder could call upon a temporary boost of the added dust and give the aura user about 60 seconds of a supercharged aura phase. In short, all capabilities having to do with aura and semblances were increase ten fold. Because the technology was new, this supercharged mode was limited in its time.

The trouble was that aura poisoning was a risk, and with this amount of aura that Jaune already possessed, it was even riskier. If he were older and had more disciplined training in aura, he would have a greater chance of survival. It would be safer that way.

Infusing Jaune with Hyper-Aura now would not only risk many side effects, but also there was the possibility that he wouldn't make it at all. If he survived however, it would allow for Jaune to accustom to his abilities and train with even more time.

But training was no longer an option. They were out of time.

And the fact the councilors were really detached that didn't help the general's inner conflict.

"How soon must Arc-Angel be deployed," the general asked finally. "The final stages will take time."

"We will give you a month," the fourth councilor stated. "No more, and we'll continue to monitor the White Fang. We expect this to be done, General Ironwood."

"As you say, councilors," Ironwood nodded. "Is there anything else?"

"We have agreed to host the Vytal Festival for the next coming year," the fifth councilor continued. "You will act as security detail for the event."

"I'll be sure to make the proper arrangements," James nodded.

"That will be all," the lead councilor concluded.

The scroll screen faded and turned off.

The man remained standing, but his eyes closed and he let out a long breath that he was holding. He was going to be busy these next few months with not only making sure that his own students were in tip-top shape for the Vytal Festival. They would need to be if Ozpin's students were any indication. That man always did have an eye for talent, and his system worked well. There was going to be some stiff competition this year.

And as for Jaune...he would need to be ready for the fight of his life.

The door opened and Captain Holden Jennings entered. The man saluted as he always did with a crisp and clean way. General Ironwood did the same.

"Sir," he snapped off. "You wanted to see me?"

"I did," Ironwood sounded. "We have much to talk about."

"Is this about Jaune, sir," Holden held his hands in front of him.

"It is," the general affirmed. "Recent events have made the council decide to accelerate Project Sapphire to its final stages."

James could almost instantly pick up the signs of slight distress and unease around his subordinate. After having spent years with this man on this project, he'd learned to pick up signs that were very subtle, but still visible with enough of a trained eye.

"Sir, permission to speak freely," Holden asked.

"Granted." Ironwood urged on.

"Sir, Jaune is still too young to be going through the final stages. He's ready to fight mentally, but physically, he still has a lot of growing to do. The boy's chances of survival stand at around 34%. Those aren't numbers in our favor, general. A few more years and we could raise those numbers to 70% or higher."

It was no surprise that Jennings held this sort of concern for his only charge. Jaune was important to both of them. Whether the boy realized it or not, he had wormed his way into their hearts. Of course they did well not to show it to him.

"It's understandable," Ironwood agreed. "And I tried to argue against the council, but they weren't going to let up."

"Is there nothing we can say to convince them to change their minds?" Jennings still retained his slightly worried expression.

"I'm afraid not."

Their mutual silence was not a comfortable one as they both began to digest what had to be done soon.

"How long will preparations take," James finally asked.

"They've been ready for some time," the captain responded. "But as I've said, Jaune isn't ready for this."

"Our hand has been forced, captain. He will have to be ready."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune had risen from his slumber early as usual. And like he normally did, he grabbed Crocea Mors and began to perform his move sets.

Ever since his first venture into the Grimm Wilds, Jaune had grown exceptionally in the following years. Not only were actual live missions into the Grimm wilds better than simulations, but he genuinely enjoyed getting out, even if not into civilization.

On more than one account, he had seen Raven, and she continued to instruct him and guide him as sort of indirect mentor. She had instructed him in one of her sword techniques, and Jaune had taken the best from what the huntress could teach him and incorporated into his own personalized fighting style.

And the past three years had been good to him. He stood now at 5' 1", or 155 centimeters. It was taller than the average male of his age, and he weighed in at 110 lbs or 47.63 kilograms. Again, above average certainly, but nothing substantially above average. And the years of physical conditioning he'd been put through had been paying off. His body, despite being lean, was still muscled. Jaune was sure that all of his muscles were packed into less space, giving him the appearance of being less strong than he really was.

Unfortunately, he had also received a few more scars over the past three years as well. All of them were mistakes like the ones that came before. While it was a bit frustrating to know he still could make mistakes against Grimm, they also motivated him to be better at fighting them.

And he wasn't the only one with a few new tricks up his sleeve. Penny, his only friend had also received some new combat programs and coding along with a platform upgrade. She was now more durable and more effective in battle. She was still sharp in intelligence as well, no surprise there.

Fighting her was always a challenge, but Jaune was now capable of winning at least half of the fights that they were placed in. Sometimes he won through a carefully planned and thought-out strategy. Other times he won through pure luck and a quick trigger finger so to speak.

Jaune paused in his mock-battles with himself to check on his other equipment. The shield portion of Crocea Mors was still in use, though only as a shield and not so much as a sheathe anymore.

The first thing that Jaune did when he first came back from the wilds years ago was to request permission to build a new weapon to add to his arsenal. Both Ironwood and Jennings and approved of this request and gave him the parts needed to assemble a new weapon. It had taken three months to assemble and still Jaune was finding ways to perfect his third weapon, but it was a good weapon still.

It was a custom-built battle rifle model, with a capacity of about twenty-one rounds, firing in three-round bursts. He had fitted it with a scope that could switch from thermal vision to night vision to red dot. Magnification had a minimum of 5x and a maximum of 10x, a decent magnification range. It provided him with solid firepower and good range, and it was suitable for short, medium, and long-ranged combat.

And the best part was when he wasn't using the gun, it could fold into a metal tube, and used as a sheathe for the blade of Crocea Mors, giving an appearance of a baseball bat. The shield sheath could be attached to the side of of gun sheathe with a magnet holding the shield. It was initially difficult to get use to the extra weight, but Jaune had accustomed to it and now he could carry all of his weapons very casually.

Jaune passed hand over his own blond hair as he disassembled his rifle. Over the years, Jaune had taken note that his once yellow-blond hair had turned platinum blond. To the boy, it hadn't bothered him, and it didn't matter anyway. Civilians cared about how they looked because it seemed that looking good was somehow important in society.

But looks were superficial. He had a job, a duty to do.

With care, he checked each and every part of the battle rifle for any signs of damage, and thankfully finding none. It was still in prime working order.

He had just finished putting the final touches on it when the sound of his door opening followed suit. He immediately jumped to attention and snapped off a salute.

Then released it when Penny came it, smiling her infectious smile.

"Penny," he greeted, "What's going on?"

"Something special," Penny said. "General Ironwood and Captain Jennings have been informed me that we're switching courses today."

"Meaning," Jaune perked his head up.

"They've got a special something planned for you," Penny spoke. "The details aren't known to me, but follow me friend."

Without thinking, Jaune grabbed his weapons.

"They also said to leave your weapons here," Penny added. "You won't need them for a while."

A while? Jaune didn't like the sound of that. He'd just have to assume that they were somehow testing him.

The two of them walked, all the while exchanging conversation regarding battle techniques and combat training. Occasionally, Penny would ask whether he'd learned anything new on his guitar. The blond had to tell her that sadly he hadn't learned anything new as of late. She looked a bit down about that, but otherwise remained cheerful.

When they finally arrived at General Ironwood's office, both children saluted after halting their walk.

It became clear to Jaune that something was going on if their rather not neutral expression were any indication.

"Sirs," Jaune said.

The general turned to face him, their eyes making contact. Jaune steeled himself for whatever was to come.

"Jaune," he said. "Certain recent events have forced us to move ahead of schedule and to the final stages of Project Sapphire."

The final phases? Did that mean…

"I am finished training?" Jaune was a little more than surprised.

"Yes, trainee," Jennings replied. "But before you are deployed into actual field missions, you will be required to receive special augmentations to improve overall combat effectiveness."

"What sort of augmentations, sirs?"

"Aura augmentation," Ironwood elaborated. "Your physical condition need not change, but it has determined that with an increase in aura power, you will perform on the battlefield better."

"What do I need to do to prepare," Jaune inquired.

"Nothing," Jennings answered. "We are to proceed as soon as possible, which is right now."

Jaune wouldn't voice it, but it couldn't be just as simple as that. If this was as important as he thought it to be in his mind, then there was a reason why he was doing this now. Was he being sent on a mission that required this new aura augmentation? And why now of all times?

"Sir," Jaune lifted his head slightly. "Permission to speak?"

"Speak your mind." Ironwood approved.

"What is the reason for this sudden event," Jaune inquired. "What is the reason for this sudden development? What's going on?"

A knowing glance, however quick it was, didn't escape the notice of both children in the room. Jaune's eyes flickered to Penny, who shrugged her shoulders. Of course they wouldn't tell her about it either, a strictly need-to-know basis. That was an old saying for Jaune because he heard it often enough, and quite frankly, it was beginning to feel really irksome. And he sincerely hoped it wouldn't be like this now.

And for once, his wish was granted, and in the form of a scroll being handed to him.

Jaune's eyes quickly read over the details. His schooling had taught him how to be a fast reader and get important details and the main idea out of what he read.

What drew his attention was the name "White Fang." His initial response was a sort of hostile sense, but he reeled back for a moment to read what it said. A peaceful organization with a history of promoting anti-violent means to achieve Faunus rights and equality. The boy frowned at this report. Why did this demand his attention?

Jaune had never seen a Faunus in person before, but he did know what to look for, as they possessed animal traits, while others displayed animal tendencies. To many Humans, they were nothing more than animals. To Jaune, they were simply people with a few more body parts. Why deny people of the same rights due to moronic and archaic ways of thinking that had no place in an advanced future?

The blond's eyes reached towards the bottom to discover something else. A change of leadership in the White Fang, and quite recently according to the report. The gears in his head began to turn with realization.

And he looked up.

"You wish for me to investigate this new leadership of the White Fang," Jaune concluded. "Make certain they won't cause trouble."

"And if they do," General Ironwood paused. "Suppress the organization, but only if necessary. We haven't seen enough action from the new leadership to suggest any violent activity."

"And yet you seem convinced that they will, sir," Jaune handed back the scroll. "Otherwise this wouldn't be necessary."

"The Atlas council has ordered that we conclude the project and deploy you into active fieldwork," Jennings explained. "The White Fang are but one potential risk to deal with. The Grimm are another, and there are other hidden groups that are of consequence."

Jaune pressed his mouth into a thin line. This wasn't surprising news to him, as he knew that one day, it would be his duty to be the weapon of Atlas against evil-doers of all kinds. He'd spent six years training for this day; it just was earlier than expected.

Time to face the music now.

"My duty is my life, sirs," Jaune took a breath. "Can we proceed with the operation?"

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune wasn't afraid of many things in his life. Grimm, he killed them often enough for them to become habit. The last time a Grimm scared him was about two years ago.

Other people, they were different, much more intelligent than most Grimm. They were far more creative and inventive in how they could intimidate someone. They could threaten with close friends and family, prey upon the most primal instinct of survival, and even threaten indirectly through mind games. Still, Jaune wasn't afraid of those either.

Medical procedures, he wasn't afraid of those either. The point of it was to heal, not hurt, and even if it did hurt, it was to help someone ultimately heal.

Still, the small feeling of trepidation that he felt as he remained still and unmoving didn't go away.

It was even more worrying to be strapped down, powerless to do anything. Jaune was always in a position to be able to do something. He could fire a rifle, swing a sword, use aura, and his semblance.

His semblance was truly a wonderful thing he felt.

And then he felt something press into his skin followed by a minor prick. It didn't even register as pain in his mind, only as contact against his skin.

What he did register was that he was being sedated. A normal person might've been knocked out instantly, but Jaune still lulled in and out of consciousness for another ten seconds before being put unconscious permanently.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 _Jaune picked himself up from the ground and dusted himself off. He carried no weapons, and was only clad in his usual attire. It wouldn't be the first time he had been this ill-prepared and unexpectedly so._

 _It was just the first time it was so in a dreamscape._

 _Jaune chuckled at his private joke name for this place. More and more as he passed through this place, this place that was like living and dying at the same time, it made him… unsatisfied._

 _Dreams were suppose to be a place where reality often didn't exist, where the impossible came to life, a place where anything was possible._

 _And yet Jaune had only ever experienced dreams that were the same to his life now, and that was a serious letdown in his eyes. This was to his best memory, though, and had no way of proving if he had or hadn't dreamed of something else._

 _But why his weapons weren't with him this time around did get his mind thinking. A test? That would be the most obvious reason? A trick? A possibility certainly. A game? That wasn't an idea Jaune cared about much._

 _ **You've come again. Good. Now we may speak.**_

 _Against his instincts and his brain, Jaune readied himself for battle, getting into an unarmed stance, as he faced his mirror image once again._

 _The same exact face, the same exact height, the same exact weight, the same exact attire. The similarities ended there._

 _Where there was suppose to be pale skin there was instead unnaturally white skin, paper-white. Where there was suppose to be ocean-blue eyes there was instead dark orange eyes. Where there was suppose to be no marred skin there were instead tears and cuts and gashes and scars wherever there was exposed skin. Where there was suppose to be short blond hair there was instead blood-red wild hair. Where there was suppose to be a smile that was genuine, there was instead a false smile, not forced, but false._

 _Jaune narrowed his eyes at the reflection. It talked to him often in his dreams, but for some reason ever since his semblance was discovered and used, he came to talk to the boy more often._

 _ **We are being granted more power. Can you not feel it in our veins?**_

" _All I feel is the need to not speak with you," Jaune countered._

 _ **Six years, and still your persist too long after your own defeat.**_

" _Fate is a lie. Destiny is a lie," Jaune sounded. "Don't presume to know how it will end. I make my own luck. I forge my own fate. I choose my own destiny."_

 _ **Do you? Do you choose your own fate? Your life indicates otherwise.**_

" _They did not choose to survive through Grimm forests," Jaune remained guarded. "They did not help me win in spars and matches."_

 _ **But they did. They gave you the tools and the training to fight the battles. And now they would use our power to their whim. They fear us, and they should.**_

 _The dark counterpart lifted a hand in the air and both the eyes of Jaune and the reflection turned to a black rose that stood in the center of them. The thing of beauty began to wither and shrink. Black tendrils of energy lanced from the hand, consuming the flower in a ever-angry cloud of blackness. Then with a fist-crushing motion, the flower fell over, dead. The dark mist diappeared._

 _ **Do you see the power we wield? You use it whenever we are in the Grimm Wilds. We could be the downfall of all life. We hold the key to controlling life itself, manipulating it to our whim.**_

 _Jaune's response was to raise his own hand and direct his semblance at the fallen rose. Instead of dark energy, pure gold energy shot from his hand, enveloping the dead flower, and in what could only be described as miracle, the flower shot back up, regaining life and receded back into its state of peak condition. Once again, a thing of beauty stood, with no traces of the dead on it._

" _I have a duty to the people of Remnant to protect them," Jaune answered confidently. "Not to kill them and make them do my bidding."_

 _ **And why not? Do you truly wish to serve the whims of men who would see your power be wasted when you could affect true change by your own will?**_

" _Change cannot be forced," Jaune challenged. "Change must come naturally."_

 _ **Nothing about what Humanity or the Faunus do is natural. Both force change, eager to make a mark upon history. They would see their names cried out for centuries and millennium. We could do the same, but actually change the world and make it better.**_

" _Through death, violence, fear, and intimidation?" Jaune shook his head. "The shortest path doesn't always lead to the correct route."_

 _ **You spout the words of Ironwood and Jennings. You do not have a true opinion about such thing as the right and wrong path.**_

 _The sound of a Grimm forced both of them to turn their heads to see an Ursa coming forward, intent on killing without remorse._

 _The beast wouldn't get far as the mirror image quickly reached out to the Grimm's life force and began to absorb it. The Grimm roared in confusion, then in pain, and then it was gone without a trace._

 _The reflection held his hand out to display the life force energy in his palm._

 _ **Why do you think society fears such things like this? Why do you think the Atlas council wants us on a leash? Why do you think we exist to begin with? We are everything that Humans and Faunus fear. With a flick of the wrist, we can end a life casually, but we can also create life as well, revitalize it. Humans and Faunus are jealous, petty, and pathetic creatures. So they want control over it. And what one cannot control, they destroy.**_

 _"I have no desire to cause harm," Jaune said. "My duty stands. My desire to help people stands. I serve the people, and if my life must be taken… then so be it."_

 _The reflection absorbed the life energy of the Grimm into his own being, eyeing Jaune like a predator on the hunt. His eyes narrowed in thought, his fists opening and closing in rhythm, and his posture uneasy._

 ** _How many Grimm have you killed? Hundreds? Thousands? You would kill them without a second thought. You desire not to kill, not to harm, and yet you would kill these Grimm without a second thought._**

 _"Because they are not living beings with souls. They are without any trace of a soul. They would harm innocents for no reason other than to destroy Humanity and the Faunus."_

 ** _And rightfully so. Man has always craved for so much power and control, that they are nothing more than animals themselves, just in a different way. They cling to power, to authority, to wealth and refuse to relinquish it. It is a universal truth that you and I are both aware of. Man is selfish by nature._**

 _This reflection was persistent in trying to persuade Jaune to see the world as he saw it, and he would be lying if he said that the reflection's words didn't ring some modicum of truth. It was true that Humans and Faunus were a bit petty at times. It was true that Man was selfish. It was true that they did fear things that they did not understand._

 _But Jaune wasn't afraid. Jaune wasn't selfish. And Jaune wasn't petty. He was quite the opposite, and his own personalities being this way always reinforced his belief that Man could become better._

 _"Spout your words," Jaune closed his eyes, then opened them. "But unlike you, I will always have faith in my fellow man. Do you know why? Because if Man was so evil, so selfish, and so primal, then there would be chaos, destruction, and death."_

 _Jaune still held his battle-ready stance, and carefully watched his reflection as the dark face distort into a wrathful and hate-induced sneer._

 _ **You foolish child. You could do so much if you had the courage to face up to your true inner desires. Instead, you cling to these superficial and useless morals like a hatchling clings to its mother.**_

 _The reflection tossed the dark energy towards him, hoping to sap Jaune of his own life energy. Jaune held up his hand calmly and channeled his own semblance into countering the death energy with his own life energy._

 _"I see that your attacks are only tangible through words," Jaune spited._

 _The image flinched at this bold and brazen insult, and growled in mute anger, forcing more energy into the attack. Jaune didn't back down, allowing his energies to flow more and more._

 _As both light and dark fought using the powers of life and death itself, the forest around them began to gather a could of dangerous energy; both caught up in trying to overpower each other, ignored this though._

 _ **Why. Won't. You. Give In!?**_

 _Jaune chose not to dignify his dark side with a response, only keeping his focus on this battle._

 _It became clear that neither had any sort of advantage. That was unacceptable by any standard, and Jaune had to find a way to break this dark side's concentration and cage him again._

 _But the trouble was that Jaune was looking at himself. They shared tactics, knowledge, skills, technically powers, and physical capabilities. Everything that the boy was so too was this reflection. Jaune couldn't hope to beat himself._

 _His eyes looked to his own reflection, seeing the frustration in his expression. The reflection grinned with malice._

 _ **Do you see? You cannot defeat me? How can you? I am you, and you are me. We are one in the same, so why not just give into what you are and truly embrace that which will make you complete.**_

 _In that moment, Jaune realized what he had to do._

 _"No," Jaune's eyes flashed. "I am nothing like you."_

 _With an abrupt surge of power, he began to channel more into his energy. His whole body began to glow white with power. The reflection adopted a look of fear._

 _"You fight to make take lives, subjugate them to nothing but your whim," Jaune stated. "I fight to defend and free lives. And I do it knowing that I have done right."_

 _The blond boy pushed even more into his energy surge, slowly overpowering his dark side. The reflection began to grunt in an attempt to lash out, but to no avail as the white energy encompassed him._

 _ **You will never be rid of me! Do you hear me! I will find a way out again! You will never be rid of me.**_

 _"No, I won't," the blond agreed. "But I control you here. Escape from this cage again, and I'll recapture you. Wonderful double standard we have here."_

 _Jaune pushed his last bit of power into the reflection, who cursed his name before disappearing into a wisp of smoke._

 _He was gone once again, but he would be back for more. He always was, and every time, it only made him more determined to keep himself in check._

 _Then he collapsed to the ground from sheer exhaustion._

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune opened his eyes.

Pain. Indescribable pain coursed through every part of his body. It was… like someone had forcefully ripped his limbs from his body and then reattached them to his body.

Lifting his head up, Jaune carefully took in his surroundings. He was still in the medical bay that he was in during the operation. The lights were dim, but still on. There was no one else here.

And he wasn't strapped to the bed.

Jaune lifted his upper body up, feeling awfully strange, like this wasn't his body. So he sat on the side of the bed, focusing on what he could feel without having to look at himself.

His aura levels felt… normal, like nothing had happened. The boy frowned at this discovery. Wasn't there suppose to be a change? Did the operation not work?

Jaune's head felt heavy so he lifted both of his hands to his face to steady himself a bit. His right hand felt warm and soft.

His left hand felt cold and hard like metal.

Jaune recoiled from this feeling and looked at his hand.

Then his entire left arm.

It was gone, all of it.

And in its place was a prosthetic metal arm instead.

Jaune began to shake uncontrollably, then he forced himself to calm down, albeit with much effort. There had to be an explanation for this… this…

The doors to the lab opened, and Jaune hopped to his feet a bit unsteadily and saluted with his left arm.

"You shouldn't be up, trainee," Jennings said.

Jaune didn't respond, frowning lightly.

"...how are you feeling?" Jennings gestured.

"Sir, with... all due respect," Jaune lowered his arm. "What on Remnant happened?!"

Jennings blinked. "There were complications to the operation. Your body couldn't adjust fast enough to the aura increase. You were suffocating on your own aura. Cybernetics implants and the prosthetic arm were necessary."

Jaune's breaths were no longer controlled, but frenzied as he processed this. This was not what he had in mind at all.

Then he saw General Ironwood approaching, and quickly forced down his heavy feeling and forced composure on himself.

"General," Jaune greeted with strain. He was slowing losing his ability to remain emotionally grounded.

"Jaune," James gestured to him. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you, but we had to save your life."

That made the boy sudden feel guilt well up inside of him. Here he was upset and angry that this was done to him, and completely forgetting that it was done to save his life. He should be grateful to be alive, and instead he was griping about not being fully organic.

What a selfish thing to do.

"Thank you, sir," Jaune breathed. His emotional state hadn't calmed.

"We'll get you up to speed on everything that happened," Ironwood continued. "But first, rest. Penny will be waiting in your room."

With a nod and a salute, Jaune all but sprinted back to his room. Once hreached his door, he slammed it shut without any thought in his mind.

And then he heard her.

"Jaune," Penny greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Finally unable to contain it, Jaune collapsed to the ground, and began to let out the emotions he was holding back.

"I failed," he whispered. "I wasn't strong enough. I'm weak."

He stifled a sob, refusing to let tears fall from his eyes. Seeing him in distress, the ginger-haired girl crossed the valley between them and embraced him into a hug. He didn't stop her, and he threw his arms around her in an act of desperation.

"I-I," he hiccuped. "I'm b-better t-than t-this."

"You're not invincible," Penny softly replied. "Do not diminish yourself. And NEVER... call yourself weak, Jaune."

Jaune Arc cried dry tears still, and Penny Polendina held him, not letting go even after he became silent in her arms.

* * *

 **This chapter is important in many ways, and I felt it one of the more heavy-hitting chapters for me to write down.**

 **Because I want to keep things going, I'll try not to dilly-dally for too long, as I'm sure some of you want to get to the good part: Beacon. I promise that I will in due time, but I do have to get down some events that happen before then. So please be patient with me.**

 **And before anyone decides that I deserve to be torn a new one regarding Jaune's semblance, let me explain it. This ability to manipulate life itself may seem overpowered, but in truth, Jaune's use of it will be limited more or less.**

 **Consider these facts: Jaune has been trained in the military for half of his life. Discipline, honor, restraint, and responsibility are important morals that are instilled into him. Add this to the fact that he uses aura sparingly and efficiently in battle and you've got yourself a fighter who doesn't have to use a semblance in battle unless it's absolutely necessary. If you still don't agree with this, then I'm sorry to say that it's not going to change. On a lighter note, anyone want to guess the right word for this ability to manipulate life? I'll give a hint: it's the polar opposite of necromancy.**

 **And in other news, by a narrow victory of only one vote, Blake is the top ship with 50 votes, Yang with 49 votes, and Pyrrha with 48. Knightshade, a pairing that I actually adore a lot. I hope to do the ship justice with this romance.**

 **Anyway, if you guys loved this chapter, let me know with a review. If you hated it, tell me why. And thoughts and feedback and ideas are always appreciated.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and remember, we all need each other.**

 **Peace out!**


	12. Chapter 12: Reconnaissance

Chapter 12: Reconnaissance

 **Two Weeks Later…**

Jaune Arc looked into the mirror. There he was, in all of his "glory." That was the correct expression to convey a warrior who was at their peak, or some romanticized term associated with warriors.

All he saw was a broken and crippled Human being.

The prosthetic arm was shaped to be exactly like his regular arm. If he was was to wear clothing over it, one would not be able to tell it was even prosthetic at all. And it wouldn't lessen his aura, nor his semblance. The only reason he was alive was that robotics and cybernetics could manage aura more effectively and without any danger.

Jaune had checked his own aura levels on his scroll, and discovered that he had experienced a 50% increase in aura, which was an astounding amount considering it was higher than most huntsman and huntresses even before this.

But still the blond lamented further at his condition, because it wasn't just his arm that was different about him. His body had actually been implanted with bio-organic cybernetics, which further increased his feats of strength, speed, agility, and thought process. The most obvious sign of cybernetics was his left eye. Gone was the organic look replaced with an obvious cyborg look. It may be generally shaped like an eye and his iris may be still the same color, but there was no mistaking organic for cybernetic.

According to General Ironwood, the cybernetics were also needed in order for the prosthetic technology to operate at its best and for Jaune to be able to access its full capabilities. The boy suspected that was only partially true, but at this point, it was not worth over thinking about. What was done was done.

Everyday since that day, he stared into the mirror and forced himself to reconsider his capabilities. This should have never happened if he was strong enough. Artificial enhancements, however effective they were, just made Jaune feel ineffectual in many ways. One could argue that overall, his abilities were far greater than his fully organic body could ever be.

But not matter the assurance that he was better, Jaune carried a minuscule amount of anger at himself. It was like he was holding out hope that he could retain just a semblance of normality, but as it was, he wouldn't even be able to appear normal. Once again, wishful thinking was gone, replaced by a cold reality.

Then he calmed down his emotions. They would not serve him. He was prepared to sacrifice what was necessary, and his own emotions needed to be disciplined further if he was still capable of emotional outbursts even after six years. It wasn't his place to make a fuss about this; it was brash, selfish, and without reason.

 _This was for the betterment of myself,_ Jaune mumbled to himself. _And despite a less than Human appearance, I will persevere, and I will find a way._

It had been an eventful two weeks of even more intense training and practice. Jaune had already torn through an entire legion of training robots, decimated an entire force of Grimm, and won match after match against Penny and Lieutenant Jennings.

His reaction time had been multiplied so effectively that he was reacting to attacks long before they would strike. This was due to the cybernetics working in synch with his already-impressive intelligence to increase his processing power.

His cybernetic worked with his own physical body and his aura to make the most effective fighter out of him. Jaune still used his aura in a very conservative way, using only bursts of strength in order to unexpectedly take the advantage or end the battle quickly.

Due to his enhanced senses, he could now aim and fire with pinpoint accuracy. Really, he had a very small chance of ever missing with any gun regardless of the model or type.

Jaune clipped Crocea Mors to his belt, gun sheath and shield sheath attached, and briskly exited his own room. He was due for a briefing for his first field deployment in approximately twelve minutes.

It took him only two minutes to actually reach the briefing room, and there they were: General Ironwood, Jennings, and Penny. The girl gave him that same look she'd been giving him for two weeks. He hated it because it was a look of pity and sadness. Jaune didn't want pity, nor did he want her to mourn over his condition.

Refocusing on the task at hand, he saluted crisply, shoving down any further stray thoughts.

"Sirs," he called out.

"At ease," Ironwood said. "You're early, so let us begin."

The room darkened as the shades were closed and then the room was relit with the mission table displaying a hologram.

"This first mission is a preliminary scouting mission," Ironwood began. "Our job here is not to cause damage, but to assert the White Fang."

"An infiltration mission," Jaune deduced.

"Correct," Jennings said. "We've already gotten reports about rather violent behaviors from the White Fang as of late. It's nothing of any particular danger, but just the same, we want to be sure."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted."

Jaune glanced at the table before pulling a stray question from his mind.

"The White Fang is centralized in Vale. Their hold out in the other kingdoms is rather weak. Why are we this concerned?"

"Not quite correct." Ironwood tapped a control. "Over the past seven years alone, their numbers have grown to include Faunus from all kingdoms. Vale is simply where they are most concentrated. They can be found everywhere on Remnant."

"I see," Jaune said. "What am I to be searching for?"

"Correspondences," the general listed. "Documents, private videos and transmissions, anything that we can use to implicate the White Fang. We can only strike back directly when we have sufficient and concrete evidence."

"There are no specifics," Jaune asked. "This seems extremely risky to do considering that we are attempting to locate evidence that may or may not exist that will implicate illegal or immoral actions committed by the White Fang."

"Which leads to our next point, trainee," Jennings adjusted the hologram to display a picture of what appeared to be the city of Vale.

"You won't be able to strike directly yet, so we will have to strike from the shadows, find sources that can point us in the right direction."

"Information, from who?" Jaune still didn't understand what was to be done.

"There are many information brokers who would know of such information," Ironwood turned to face Jaune. "For a price, they are willing to give out any information."

"Are they trustworthy?"

"They have to be, otherwise they wouldn't have made it this far."

"And who am I to meet?"

The general handed him a scroll, and Jaune skimmed the page. It was a tall man, black hair, and proper dress uniform. Apparently, he was a bartender somewhere in Vale City, and he knew everything going on in the city as well as in the underworld.

It wasn't much to go off of, but it was a start.

"So when am I being deployed?"

"Tomorrow at 05:00 hours," Jennings replied. "Further mission details will be explained at a later time."

Jaune stuffed his questions away. There would be no questioning superior officers.

"Understood, sirs," Jaune said. "Will that be all?"

"There is one more thing."

A pause.

"That will be all. You are dismissed. Penny, we need to discuss some matters."

"Right away, general," the girl chirped.

Jaune left the briefing room, closing the door, not even wanting to look back as he made his way to the training room. It was a day for aura training, so his weapons weren't needed.

As he entered the training room, he took in the sight of swept-up robot parts everywhere. This was his mess, and he'd made a big one. There was no challenge in training anymore it seemed. He would've preferred to be stranded in the Grimm wilds and fight real live Grimm rather than the simulations. These robots were pathetic now that he could outdo them in all ways.

And despite knowing this, Jaune activated the main controls and scrolled through a list of simulation scenarios and enemies. His eyes searched for something that was worth a challenge. His eyes went over each and every spec of the models.

The first minute was wasted going through mediocre stats and uninteresting challenges. These were robots he had fought in his earlier years, hardly challenging now that he could defeat them on instinct, just as he wished.

Then his eyes fell onto something very interesting. Atlas Military technology was always growing and developing, and whenever something new came out, Jaune would know about it. He knew because each new piece of tech was tested against him. It was meant to force himself to adapt to any and all possible forms of combat.

So it was with at least some interest that Jaune stared intently at the stats of something in the prototype stages, something called the Atlesian Paladin-280.

It stood at about 5.5 meters tall or about 18 feet tall. It was meant to be piloted by a single person. Due to its size, it was meant to be used a battlefield juggernaut, clearing huge paths for soldiers to move in. It could also be used for anti-vehicle and anti-aircraft purposes.

The armor it used was mainly steel of at least several inches in thickness. The metal was also aligned with special properties that prevented potential destruction on a molecular level, so aura wouldn't be useful in that regard.

Physically, it was more than capable of smashing through objects of all sorts. Even a huntsman or huntress's aura would be hard-hit by the force behind the kinetic energy.

The cockpit was very small, and afforded little chance for exposure. There would be no cheating by taking out the pilot to stop the fight. The canopy was designed to withstand barrages that would be made against it.

Without giving much thought to it, Jaune inputted this new piloted mechanoid as an opponent.

When asked how many he wished to face, he once again didn't put much thought into it, simply putting in three.

Once he stepped into the center of the room, the technology began to activate. Standing completely still and staring straight ahead, he waited.

Then the sound of mechs moving prompted him to take a look around him.

Jaune's enhanced senses detected incoming fire, and he instinctively raised an aura barrier around him. It was a dangerous, as using a aura shield while more effective at blocking and deflecting projectiles, could leave a user exposed.

The boy quickly began to sprint, using his cybernetics to enhance his speed. Even with two weeks to practice, he still had a hard time adjusting to the technology in his body. His brain had to adjust to his new physical condition and the few bad spots he'd been in were the result of his body being faster than his brain.

Right now, he didn't care if he could slow down effectively, because right now it was saving him from the pain of gunfire being rained on his head. But try as he might, running laps couldn't go on. He needed to get up close and personal.

Using his cybernetics, Jaune began to plot an exact route that he'd sprint across. Paladins were powerful, but predictably, with their massive size, they were incapable of moving faster than a fast walk.

The three hulking mechs had gotten into a formation and were firing upon him with thunderous suppression. Through sheer speed, and subtle aura shielding, he was able to avoid being gunned down. Quickly closing the distance to one of them, he leaped onto its back. The Paladin responded by trying to shake him off.

The remaining two trained their weapons, but did not fire. The program knew enough to not try and chance firing upon an ally. It was expected, and that wasn't going to be much of a problem in the big scheme of things.

Jaune's cybernetics began to take scans of the Paladin he was on. Because he was now closer, he was able to a bit more information in regards to potential weak points and design flaws that came with the mechanized suit of armor.

He gripped the Paladin harder as it spun around. Activating his aura, he quickly lashed out with a punch from his mechanized arm to a section of less-armored plating. The punch was actually able to cave in that section of the armor. So maybe he had underestimated his own strength the past two weeks. Self-restraint be damned.

He felt a few cables and wires, and the slight shock of electricity. His cybernetics registered the shock, but there was no pain.

Recalling the trick that Raven had showed him, Jaune called upon his aura and quickly created an aura bomb, leaving it within the now-exposed hole in the armor. With that, he quickly climbed the Paladin he was on and leaped to another one.

It wasn't a critical system that he had, but nevertheless, the aura explosion left a smoking mech trying to cope with the injury. Jaune latched onto the arm and swung around so that he was balancing perfectly on it. With its free arm, the mech tried to slam into him, and Jaune simply let the blow fly over his back before grabbing the flying arm and using its momentum to leap to the next Paladin.

Deciding to test his aura's augmentations to whatever peak he could, Jaune poured a heavy amount of aura into his prosthetic arm and raised it high in the air. Then he used his aura to increase his speed.

All of these factors created a punch that managed to not only penetrate the metal, but allowed the blond to punch a clean hole through the center. The mech let out a groan before collapsing.

Using the fallen Paladin as cover, Jaune quickly assessed his newfound power. Clearly when he was getting an aura overhaul, Ironwood and Jennings were not overselling it. If he tried to do this challenge before the transformation, he'd be pressed to do even-more planned and strategic methods to take the Paladins down.

It was time to play smart now that he knew he could do this.

The second he knew he could, Jaune leaped from the wreckage and sprinted between the two Paladins. The first was still wounded while the other was trying to get a lock on him. It was a game of cat and mouse as the boy continued to remain untouched by the much-larger enemy.

And then Jaune purposely "slipped up." A slight decrease of speed in which he was evading allowed him to be pinned to the ground.

In the face of defeat, Jaune stared back, not at all phased by this rather threatening position.

Because the whole time, he had not merely running in circles for no reason. He had taken accurate and thorough scans of all patterns of attack, assessing weak points, and predicting methods of attack.

Such as the joint between that was called the wrist.

Jaune allowed himself to disperse a wave of aura, enough to heavily damage said weak point before he deftly sliced the hand off with a single strike.

Now with only one weapon left to fight with, its rockets, it fired at him. He once again brought up an aura shield in front of him to deflect and reflect. The ensuing haze of rockets returned to his enemies, pushing them back further.

With his new-found targets, for a final time, Jaune aura-sped from both enemies quickly, dropping off more aura bombs at various locations that one never thought to attack a large opponent.

His efforts were a complete success as the bombs left exposed mechanical and electrical parts. The already-wounded Paladin was utterly destroyed. The remaining one was no longer in any position to fight.

Knowing he had won, Jaune moved to end the match before he wasted any more time. First, he disarmed it to make sure it couldn't fight back. Then, he struck at its core power source housed nearby the canopy of the cockpit.

Looking at his work, he began to assess the Paladins in pieces now. They were certainly of a different challenge, but if one knew how to fight them, it was a matter of exposing the rather unthought-of weak spots and exploiting predictability.

Regardless, it was a new fight, and it provided him with something of a challenge. He now wondered if perhaps Penny would be willing to fight him now.

And speaking of his partner, Jaune quickly turned to see the girl coming into the simulation room. The holograms faded and the stark room reappeared.

"Impressive display," Penny said. "It appears you are quite formidable."

"It was adequate," Jaune shrugged. "I assume you came here for a reason."

"I did," she nodded. "I am deploying with you tomorrow."

That was unexpected to say the least.

"Why tell me this now?" He tilted his head. "Why was I not told during the briefing?"

"I insisted," Penny replied. "I am your partner, and we were both made to protect the world."

"Did General Ironwood put up a fight?"

"No, General Ironwood didn't, but my father did."

Jaune knew that Penny had this person she called a "father." It was likely her creator, but however she put it, this man had unwittingly given him a friend. The blond was certain that Penny's creator was unaware of him.

"And how did you accomplish this?" He crossed his arms.

Penny's attitude shifted to a more nervous one, like she was ashamed of what she was doing. It was noted by Jaune because she did this when he asserted her. As both of them were close friends, the ginger-haired girl had a tendency to want to not make him angry, even if she was more than capable of fighting him.

"I provided the argument that without any sort of missions to gauge my effectiveness, all the training in Atlas could be for naught."

It was a fair point, Jaune agreed. Training could only do so much. A day out there was worth about a week or more in here. Live experience was a far greater teacher than any textbook or combat module.

But one thing Jaune knew to do well was to gauge when the full truth wasn't revealed to him. Ironwood and Jennings didn't know it, but whenever he was left in the dark with certain details, he knew something was omitted. He simply didn't acknowledge all the time that he knew of this.

And Penny's nervous stance was a dead giveaway that something else was driving her to go with him.

"What else," Jaune urged.

She looked like she was trying to come up with another explanation. Jaune waited, trying to soften his features and appear less menacing to her.

"Penny," He lowered his arms. "I am not displeased with you, so I will ask as your friend, why do you really want to go with me?"

"For that reason," Penny immediately answered. "I want to make sure you come home safe and sound."

"I will be okay," Jaune sighed. "I spent six years training for this. I can handle whatever comes at me."

"You are not invincible," Penny pointed out.

"I am not. What of it?"

"You would put your life on the line so blatantly and not even be afraid of death. I only have you as a friend. I don't want to lose that."

Now that the truth was out, Jaune considered for a moment how to react. He should chew her out for putting emotions before duty. It wasn't fitting for the usually calm and cheerful robot girl to be worried about him like this.

"Penny, I will be fine. Do you consider me ineffectual in combat?"

"No! You are more than capable."

"Penny, one day, I will not be your only friend."

"But right now, you are."

"I have a duty to protect Remnant."

"And I have a duty as your partner to ensure you come back alive."

Jaune opened his mouth before realizing what he was doing. This was another example of emotional outbursts. By having this disagreement with Penny, he was subconsciously contradicting his own logic of remaining detached. Penny's safety was a priority to him, and she was putting herself on the line to see him through the mission with as few injuries as possible. With this in his mind, he quickly reorganized his thoughts before responding again.

"If you deem your presence necessary, then come. The mission will be completed more effectively with you working with me."

"Splendid!"

She grabbed him into a crushing embrace. The air from his lungs temporarily escaped him before he sucked in another breath, and then awkwardly putting his hands to her back, but he couldn't deny the feeling of assurance.

"We should get ready," Jaune spoke. "Or I should at least. Do you need to prepare?"

"I am already prepared," Penny answered. "You need not worry about me."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune and Penny both had been provided with the location outside to meet General Ironwood and Captain Jennings. With what little they both possessed, the friends made their way to the landing strip.

What they didn't expect was a ship that the two of them had never seen before. Ironwood and Jennings stood by a lowered ramp.

"Sirs," the both saluted.

"At ease. There is one more thing before you two go."

Jaune folded his behind his back while Penny kept her hands to her sides.

"Jaune, you performance for the past six years have greatly exceeded all of our expectations. And Penny, you have also done an admirable job. And as such, you are both ready to handle the responsibilities of having a personal ship."

That totally blindsided both the children. They both exchanged glances, having put together the unsaid part of what Ironwood had said. He hadn't

"Thank you sir," Jaune managed. "I will put it to good use."

"From this point on," Ironwood gestured to the two. "We will not be providing aid to you two. You have both been given the tools and the training necessary to complete this mission."

"Understood, sir," Jaune said. "We will accomplish it."

"Good luck to you both," Ironwood saluted. "Be swift. Be safe. Be strong."

It was in that moment that Jaune felt a strange feeling befall over him. He couldn't explain it, and the only reason he knew it existed was because it was different from the norm, and his list of normal things was a short one.

Nevertheless, as the two of them descended the ramp and onto the ship, neither of them looked back at the place where they both had called home for a long time.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

The first thing that came to mind as the two of them carefully inspected the new ship was that it was meant to be piloted for a crew of at least five. They had immediately headed to the cockpit in order to get off the ground.

Despite having taking some courses in simulated flights, Jaune was nowhere near the skilled pilot as Penny was. She was programmed with the knowledge and had likely spent time not only practicing, but also developing her own maneuvers.

As they took off, Jaune felt his stomach begin to flips again, and he called upon his aura to soothe himself. If there was one thing he could never seem to be rid of, it was the damn motion sickness. His many attempts to try and quell had so far resulted in failure. Still, he didn't give up trying to find a way to quell the sickness without his aura. If he could, it would be helpful.

As it was, he watched as Penny carefully maneuvered the craft into a normal flying pattern, Jaune watched his partner as she kept her eyes on their flight path and her hands on the controls. There was a hum that sounded as the ship flew.

The sound of a repeated beep caused his eyes to narrow at a blinking control. Taking only a second to look at what it was, he realized it was a call. Pressing the button, a holographic display opened up to reveal something.

Enclosed in the message was the full details of the mission.

"Engaging cloaking device," Penny reported. "Best to strap in, partner."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Weiss Schnee sighed deeply before calling upon her semblance. This was harder than she initially believed it to be, but as a Schnee, she couldn't afford to give up so easily when things weren't right the first time.

She had been aura training for the better part of several years now, but still her semblance was relatively new to her. It was only in the past several months that Weiss had been able to summon her semblance more willingly. Nobody knew why this was, but now that she could control it, it was time to hone it.

And who better to train her than her elder sister, Winter Schnee, an already deadly warrior in her own right.

"Keep yourself composed and calm," Winter coached. "Do not stray in thought. Remain focused on creating the glyph."

Winter was having Weiss start off with a simple but recognizable glyph of ice. Weiss had been doing this exercise many times over because she needed to be able to execute the basics by instinct. Learning through repetition was very much effective, but that didn't make it any more fun to do.

Weiss watched as her glyph flared up, and an ice block formed. Without waiting for her sister to tell her, she quickly called upon her aura to dispel the ice. The fragments shattered and fell to the floor.

"Again," Winter said. "But use less aura this time."

"Can we not do something else," Weiss asked. "I have been doing this for two hours."

"Are you executing these moves on instinct or by concentrated thought?"

Weiss didn't both to try and stifle the groan of annoyance that left her.

"Weiss Schnee." The elder sister's eyes narrowed. "Groaning is unbecoming of you."

"Can't we do something else," Weiss griped. "Anything but this."

"No. You must do this until you can perform this by instinct."

The girl in the dress scowled to her discontent with the necessity of doing this glyph so many times. A staring glare ensued between the two of them. Both were more than capable of giving what many had dubbed the "ice queen" stare. They were both masters at it, even Weiss as young as she was.

"You do realize that if I have nothing to report to father-"

That only served to rile her up more, as both sisters loved their father and also hated him at the same time. Right now though, the hate was more evident.

"Father." Weiss interrupted. "I sometimes question everything he does. It's all for our wellbeing."

"And it is," Winter insisted. "But you will never exceed by giving in. You must persist."

"And what if I can't," Weiss challenged. "What if I don't want to do this?"

"Do you want to become a huntress or not?"

Of course Weiss wanted to become a huntress. To her, being a huntress was something that wasn't merely a dream, but a destiny. To be able to control her own path, to not be restricted to merely be the heiress to a legendary bloodline, to be able to become more than what many thought of her, it was just too tempting.

Of course Weiss never really any doubts that it would be a long road to become a huntress. Even if she had been preparing for combat long before this goal, Winter pushed her to the limit then. And she was doing the same now.

Perhaps if the young girl had understood that aura would entail arguably a greater deal of work, she would've given anything to begin aura before physical conditioning.

And even with all combat aside, there was an even higher purpose to be fulfilled by Weiss. She had a family name to uphold, a family that had been under much scrutiny for the past several years. It was her duty to restore what honor she could for the Schnee name.

Both sisters, although never definitively stated it, they both were rebels in one form or another, at least in their father's eyes. They didn't wish to sit back and simply indulge in what he wished for them. They were both daughters of action and intelligence. Coupled with a strong will and there was no stopping what both of them desired in life. They would fight in the name of what they stood for, but they would do it not by his rules, but by their own rules.

When all of these thoughts came back to her, and thus coming to terms with her foolhardy and irrational anger, she didn't bother to argue any further.

"Yes," Weiss murmured. "I'm sorry. I'm just… finding this more difficult than I thought it to be."

Winter watched the crestfallen expression on her siblings face. It was not a sight she cared to witness for long. With a speedy dash forward, she quickly wrapped her arms around Weiss.

"I understand what you are going through, Weiss," the older girl said. "Monty Oum, do I understand."

The small arms of Weiss with some effort returned the same gesture of affection. Only in privacy and in the company with each other did the two of them ever show even a slight trace of sisterly love.

"But I see that glint in your eye. I know you desire greater control over your life."

Still holding each other, Winter looked Weiss in the eye.

"But you listen here. You don't ever give up. I don't want you to give up. I wish I could give you more than words to push you forward, but that's all I can say offer. The decision has to be yours."

Looking up at the same blue eyes that reflected her own perfectly, Weiss felt the connection to Winter. Her sister believed in her, and it was clear as day that the elder wanted the younger to succeed at this.

To give up would mean to admit defeat, to say to her father that she was only capable of going on the path he had set for both of them. One sister had already said no. Maybe this was his idea of a cruel and unfair way to get her to turn to his way of thinking.

But more important than her own pride was the faith and hope that Winter held for her. If that disappeared, it would likely cause a fallout between the two of them.

That was not acceptable.

So time to suck it up and press forward.

"Can we continue," Weiss asked.

Winter didn't immediately jump to answer that question. She instead asked her own question.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes. I will do this."

No words came for a long moment. Just calm breathing in and out.

Then Winter left a small smile out.

"Okay."

The two of them resumed the lesson, Weiss no longer complaining. This was only a scratch of the surface of her semblance. In the next few years, it would only grow further with her own growth and training.

Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, closed her eyes and focused once again.

* * *

 **This is coming out a little later than I would've liked, but sudden assignments from college and studying hours are really starting to creep on me. Because I spend arguably as much time on writing as I do studying, I find myself with even less time than I know it.**

 **But enough about my plight in life. Character progression is moving along quite smoothly. I'm not one to do to reveal story details much, but I think I can afford to let this one slide. There will be Beacon Academy, but one thing's for sure, it won't be anything like in canon.**

 **It may even be appropriate to say that the characters themselves may not be canon completely. I'm taking a lot of risks doing this, but this is an AU story, so go figure.**

 **If you guys loved this chapter, leave a review. If you hated it, tell me why. And feedback and criticism is appreciated.**

 **Thanks to all the readers. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and remember, three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.**

 **Peace out!**


	13. Chapter 13: Like a Boss… Angel

Chapter 13: Like a Boss… Angel

 **City of Vale**

 **Date Classified**

 **04:00 Hours**

Jaune and Penny had long since left the ship at the designated landing pad some miles away from the city.

For the first time arguably in over six years, Jaune donned a new outfit, something that was so strange in nature to him. Basic military attire was always what he was use to. Now, he discovered that he had a personal captains quarter and the wardrobe was stocked with various outfits of varying uses and looks.

Jaune knew the reason for this: he needed to blend in with the civilian population, but no matter how he viewed it, he couldn't wear civilian clothes comfortably. It was just… not part of him any longer. So he opted with a simple coat with a hood. Black jeans accompanied him. He wore no armor, only having Crocea Mor in its gun sheathe. His prosthetic arm was exposed purposely.

Jaune took the lead as he used his prosthetic arm to bring up a 3D map to guide them to the city of Vale. From what he knew about this place, it was a cosmopolitan placed along with the rest of Vale. Many different cultures were accepted as well as as Humans and Faunus. These were facts that he was spouting in his head, but were just facts at that.

Penny was more versed in normal civilian life, though she still suffered from a lack of interactions with many people. She had no real close friends other than Jaune. She needed to broaden her horizon. And the one thing that she did know was that twelve-year old children weren't allowed to wander the streets. Police would undoubtedly stop them and demand who their parents were.

So it was with much haste that Jaune took to the streets quietly, using whatever cover he could whenever a vehicle passed them. Penny stuck to his side like a magnet, never letting him out of her reach.

Then a thought entered her processors.

"Jaune," she whispered. "You have a cloaking device on your prosthetic."

"... I do?"

With her night vision, she was able to see him fiddle with the projection display in mild confusion before he found what he sought. It was a device that cast a reflective screening over the wearer. It wasn't invisibility, but more like camouflage. Penny could still see him though, and it wasn't due to the fact that his tag was visible still.

"I can still see myself," he asserted.

"You are always visible to yourself," Penny explained. "But to everyone else, you will be invisible."

"Who can see me?"

"Anyone with special equipment or special senses, but the people with either aren't many. Don't worry."

Penny felt Jaune's arm wrap around her midsection, and she knew instantly what he was testing. He was always quick to test features and discover new things.

"Now we can walk the streets more easily," he said.

Carrying Penny effortlessly in one hand while using his prosthetic to guide them, he slowly traced his way in silence through the streets. Jaune still stopped and took cover whenever a vehicle passed by. He was not about to take chances now.

Eventually, he was led to an apartment building complex. With little difficulty, he navigated to the top floor. The journey up the stairs was a matter of careful footing and control of the body. The slightest creeks could be a major red light for anyone still awake or already awake. He kept his eyes moving and watching for any sort of motion indication. Penny too kept her eyes on alert despite not being able to do much physically with Jaune holding her up.

It might've been much easier to use the elevator, and maybe quieter, but Jaune was not about taking the easy route. That led to lax attitude, and therefore a loss of vigilance. He needed to keep himself in tip-top shape.

Once they had identified the proper apartment number, he quickly inserted a code that he had memorized from the files sent to him while they were in-flight.

Jaune opened the door to see some rather sophisticated technology in the room. The main room housed a single large holographic table. Other sensor equipment and devices line the walls in an orderly and perfect fashion. Letting go of Penny, Jaune quickly inspects everything. It looked like this was done recently given that all the equipment had yet to gather dust.

There were additional rooms as well, and Jaune found one room with multiple single beds, and a large closet housed with many more outfits.

Another room appeared to be a weapons creation and maintenance area. It had everything one would ever need to keep a weapon going for a very long time. Jaune was familiar with all of the equipment, having used them all at one point or another. A bathroom with a shower was in a separate room across from the single large bedroom.

The final room, or rather sub-section of the room was a simple kitchen. Jaune was rather interested in this region, having never been able to venture into the place where food was prepared; meals were always given to him in his room. He took the time to explore every section of it.

The first was the refrigeration unit that was empty with exception to several bottles of water and a few preliminary MRE's. There were a few pots and pans stocked in a cupboard; cups were arranged in a drawer next to the stove. And all the necessities to eating at a table. The dining room was by extension part of the kitchen.

"You seen interested in this section," Penny commented. "Is there a problem?"  
"No," he said. "I've simply never seen…"

"A kitchen," she deduced, "I understand. I can help in this manner."

Jaune chose not to respond, simply forgetting about this civilian nonsense and getting back to the mission at hand. Approaching the holographic table, Jaune tapped a control to see that a message had been left for both of them. It was from General Ironwood.

 _I hope there's an explanation for all of this,_ Jaune thought. _Something tells me there's more than what I've been._

It was no surprise that these unexpected things happened to Jaune. Life seemed to always make him expect the unexpected. Was anything really a surprise to him anymore? Not really, or at least nothing had been for quite some time.

He pressed the control to allow the figure of Ironwood to appear, standing with his arms folded behind his back.

 _"Jaune, Penny,"_ he spoke. _"If you're receiving this message, then you've made it into the city without detection. No doubt you have questions."_

Both kids exchanged glances at each other.

 _"Both of you will be operating independent of the Atlas Military. And as such, we cannot aid you in any way and we will deny any actions connected."_

Jaune frowned. Penny crossed her arms.

 _"New missions will be given to you via this console. All mission details will be readily available to you. Whatever we cannot tell you both will have to be found out."_

Neither said anything.

 _"And finally, both of you will be given your own fundings of lien to use as you see fit. Just remember that secrecy is of utmost importance."_

That would have to be checked later.

 _"We will be expecting weekly updates. There will be no two-way communications. Only messages. The first report must be delivered by this week's end. Ironwood out."_

The general faded from view.

"We're on our own," Jaune stated.

"We are," Penny agreed. "There's no one coming to help us if we fail."

Jaune felt himself seized by fear for a moment. From complete supervision to almost no supervision in a single day.

Then Jaune backhanded himself mentally. He had trained to be able to make decisions and to work with what he was given. This was no different than those simulations, only that there was no one to tell him what he did wrong. He would have to own up to all of his mistakes and faults.

"We'll make it work," Jaune sighed. "For now, we need to find this information broker. Our current information is still limited."

"Well," Penny stepped up. "It's located somewhere in the downtown part of the city. That much I can say from the info we were given. It will take time to pinpoint an exact destination."

"How long," Jaune inquired.

"Give or take," Penny typed on. "I would say at least ten hours. I have to hack into security cameras and systems across the city to begin narrowing down possibilities."

"Do it," he nodded.

"You should get some rest, Jaune."

"I'm okay."  
Penny knew him to be trying to underestimate his condition. He hadn't slept a wink during their journey to Vale. His body and brain still weren't working in synchronization with his cybernetics. This along with the way he was pushing himself certainly wasn't helping him stay awake.

That, and his stubborn nature among other things.

"Go to sleep," she grabbed him forcefully.

His slight upturned lip indicated his still uncooperative behavior. Any time Jaune was anything but neutral might as well be the most expressive he would ever be. It was without a doubt one of the greatest accomplishments to be able to get a reaction from him. There were only a few circumstances that were guaranteed to get a non-neutral reaction from him.

"I will expect a report in exactly four hours," Jaune said.

"Six hours," Penny argued.

"Four," he reiterated.

"Six," she retaliated.

"Five," he compromised.

"...fine."

Jaune watched her before leaving the room, quickly settling in on one of the single beds. He didn't even bother to change into sleeping wear. The moment his head hit the pillow, he was out.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

 _The moment Jaune opened his eyes, he knew where he was instantly. He rose, checking himself to see what he had available to him._

 _Crocea Mors was with him, all the pieces. Good, he would need them if what was to come next was any indication._

 _Before he could make his way, the blond looked down to see a sunflower drooping over, clearly on its last leg if not dead yet. Reaching out with his semblance, he allowed his energies to connect with the thing of beauty and re-energize it. The yellow color was returned, the green of its stem glowing vibrantly, and its posture straightening. Jaune disconnected from the flower once he was sure it would self-sustain._

 _Giving the sunflower a final look, he took off into the forest._

 _As he had done hundreds of times, Jaune trained his aura to seek out any presences. Because Grimm had no soul, he would not be able to sense them directly. He would have to feel the surroundings around him, deduce based on interruptions or unusual spots in the natural landscape._

 _A single Beowolf tried to flank him, and Jaune casually reached out with his aura to absorb its life energy, never even slowing down._

 _"I'm here," he called out. "If you've got some plan to drive me insane again, then bring out your worst!"_

 _His reflection did not deign to grant him a response. There was something about this silence that made him all the more wary. His reflection always tried to exasperate him to absolutely no end._

 _A Boarbatusk charged him. Jaune grabbed its tusks and pushed back. Once he was sure he had stopped the Grimm, he began to use his prosthetic arm and bash the front plate that protected its head, eventually breaking through it with the sheer number of strikes that increased with more time passing. Sensing that there was no life in it, he moved on._

 _A clearing made Jaune slide to a stop, looking around for any indications or clues that may be indicating which way he ought to go. There were none here._

 _Noticing that the clearing extended out further onto a hillside, Jaune decided to take the high ground and find out where he should go from there._

 _An Ursa now stood in his path. It roared at him and charged. Not for a moment did the partly-cyborg boy even stop. When they were within a second of colliding, Jaune used his momentum to slide under it and make a single lethal slice down the middle. He rose and quickly resumed his run._

 _Progressively more dangerous Grimm with passing time, surely another means of annoyance by his reflection. His reflection as of late was surprisingly quite vocally, and maybe these Grimm were its means of communicating to Jaune._

 _Once he reached the hilltop, he looked around. What was new this time was several different landscapes before him. One was covered in the mists of winter, white as white could be. Another was green, a lush and lively environment. A third was black, but not from death, but from a seemingly unlimited shadow._

 _What is this?_

 _If this was another game to play, then he would play along. And he would win, as he always did._

 _Deciding that he had no way to gauge which way was preferable, Jaune began to close his eyes and let his instinct guide him. For the longest of moments, he saw nothing._

 _Opening his eyes, he saw the instantly recognizable presence of his reflection. The dark counterpart said nothing to Jaune, simply smiling viciously, and without any trace of Humanity._

 _Jaune felt his hand move, and the reflection did the same. They reached out to each other, until their palms touched. The reflection did nothing to combat him, merely imitating his moves, with only the expressions not being the same._

 _Jaune pulled back suddenly, his eyes narrowing. The reflection did the same, Then Jaune took off into the snow-white mist. His reflection fled in the opposite direction, towards the shadows._

 _What was his game?_

 _A King Taijitu forced him to stop running once again. Jaune readied Crocea Mors. The black head lashed forward, and Jaune dodged left, then stabbed it in the eye. Channeling his aura into the blade, he jammed it into the skull, effectively destroying its mind._

 _The second head attacked, and he used his battle rifle to suppress it back. Then he used his shield as a projectile and tossed it, causing the Grimm to cry out in pain. Grabbing his blade, Jaune sped-climbed onto its head and shattered a portion of its armored head, then fired a few rounds into the exposed flesh. A great crash rocked the nearby earth as the second head fell._

 _The misty snow began to pick up, to which Jaune with some work, ignored. The piling snow was slowing down his travelling efforts greatly. The winds pushed against him, the snow striking him, and the freezing atmosphere threatening to consume him._

 _But through all of this, he couldn't possibly miss a strange sight in the distance. It glowed opal-blue in color and was instantly recognizable as one thing._

 _It was a snowflake._

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Penny didn't comment on Jaune's dreamy look as he woke up exactly five hours later. He looked rested, but like he wanted to go back to sleep because he needed to see something in his dreams.

"Do you have anything to tell me, Penny?"

"Nothing new yet. So far, I've narrowed down to a few places tied with the underground world."

"Where," Jaune asked.

"Here." Penny pulled up a city map.

Jaune looked at the map. The results were far from what he wanted. There were several blocks of city that needed to be considered. And some of these buildings were towering.

"Send me whatever you have so far," Jaune tapped on his arm, "I will head out and see if I cannot find anything incriminating."

"Just be careful," Penny warned. "You can't bring Crocea Mors with you."

"Understood."

That didn't stop him from bringing a concealed pistol with him. He may be in a civilian area, but bad guys could be anywhere.

This time, knowing that he could walk around more freely given that it was the daytime, Jaune began to walk down the stairs at a more casual pace and more relaxed pose.

Stepping out into the sun, he flicked his hood over his head. His knew that the hoodie he was wearing wasn't keeping his still-exposed metal hand from being seen, but at this point, he didn't really care. He wanted people to see who he really was.

Walking the streets of Vale, he was instantly surrounded by people, and that scared the ever-living daylights out of him. So many people in one single place. Humans and Faunus of all differing ages, genders, and looks. So much variety here.

Jaune expertly avoid even so much as brushing briefly against anyone. He prefered personal space anyway.

It was also the moment that Jaune realized that he couldn't access his prosthetic arm, as that would be rather strange. He instead hunted around to find a map of the city. Remembering the map that Penny had showed him, Jaune was able to locate what he was searching for.

He once again began to walk, keeping his head tilted down slightly so as to avoid people looking him in the eye. A glowing cyborg eye was also nothing usual.

Jaune could name all sorts of things that civilian life did that made him a bit annoyed. For one thing, the streets were rather messy. They may only have been a few pieces of junk littered here and there, but to Jaune, it may as well have been a complete disaster area. He was use to completely spotless rooms excluding the messes he made in training.

And even more annoying was the fact that it seemed that no one stopped to even try and pick it up. Some were even being so casual about throwing their waste every which way. Did these people not care about maintaining the environment which they lived on?

If Jaune didn't have such pressing priorities, then he would correct this error, so he settled for picking up a glass bottle that was partially broken, then throwing it into a nearby recycling can. From that point on, he would stop to pick up the most obvious signs of things left unattended. He was already losing precious minutes by doing this.

Jaune notice a playground nearby, that was the correct term wasn't it? On it, there were a great deal of kids here and there. Some were younger than him, others roughly his age. They played and laughed and smiled and were having a great time.

Should children not be doing something more productive, he wondered? What purpose did playing serve? It was merely a temporary pleasure as far he was concerned. They were not gaining any skills that would aid them in life. Nearby, he could see some adults nearby, and not enough to account for all of the kids on the playground. Did these children not have any sort of supervision? How could a parent or guardian leave a child with no discipline and no useful goal here?

Nevertheless, Jaune did regard the playground with mild interest. The various pieces of equipment were varied in their uses, but obvious in function.

Checking his mission clock, Jaune decided that he had time to spare and moved forward. With a great sigh of air, Jaune took off in an impossibly fast sprint. The kids in his path didn't even have time to react as he subtly ducked and weaved around them.

The first thing he tackled was a chin-up bar. He easily lifted himself up with his normal arm, the swung to a higher one, spinning around to land on top, balancing on both feet. He then leaped to a nearby platform-tower.

A set of monkey bars was next. All the other kids somehow knew to get out of his way as he swung himself to the other side in record time. Some weren't even sure that he was even visible.

Another obstacle were a set of handles suspended from a bar, to which he swung from each one with meticulous accuracy. He barely stopped to say sorry for a girl in the way.

Three bridges with kids here and there made Jaune duck and dodge and weave without any letup. He let out quick apologies as he took off.

He was at the very top now of the playground, and he looked down to see only a slide as his new "obstacle."

 _This is not even meant to be challenging._

So Jaune did the thing that wasn't really meant to be: He dropped off the ledge, then fell into a roll. It was nowhere near as blood-pumping as an near-orbital drop from the very edges of the atmosphere.

Dusting a bit of dust off lightly, Jaune looked around to see more than a few kid staring at him.

He wondered why they cared so much?

Then he remembered something: what he did, it wasn't really what many would say was normal. In fact, this was the sort of things kids training to be huntsman and huntresses did.

And he just displayed a rather dazzling show out in public.

That was not good.

"How'd you do that," a girl asked,

"Are you a huntsman," a boy asked.

"Who's your teacher?"  
"Can you show me how to do that?"

So many questions all at once, and none of them telling him how he had messed up, or how much time he had lost in a maneuver, and no criticism. He was getting smothered in compliments that were all so new to him.

This felt… strangely inviting.

"Guys," he called out. "One at a time."

His "call" would be better classified as a whisper, but everyone around him seemed to understand him and they backed away. How could they have heard him over their shouting and constant questions?

Then a thought crossed his mind. Had he somehow unconsciously used his semblance and had somehow gotten these kid to stop crushing him? It was uncertain, but it did have some grounds in reality.

He needed to get back into the present, and think about this later. Maybe he could find a library or somewhere to read up anything regarding his semblance.

"I'm training to…" Jaune thought for a moment, "To be a huntsman."

There was a universal murmur of approval that surrounded him. So far so good. Maybe everyone would forget that this happened.

… could he make everyone forget that this happened?

That thought lasted only for a moment; Jaune was no manipulator, not willingly. To take away someone's memory for the sake of himself, that was selfish. And like the blue-eyed boy always believed, others came before him.

Be selfless, not selfish.

Be considerate, not uncaring.

"Can you teach us," a boy called out.

"I cannot," Jaune spoke. "That is not for me to decide. Your parents and guardians decide that. But I must warn you: it's a hard life. The stories don't tell everything. You must be ready to do anything to be a huntsman, even give your life."

The kids looked at each other, a bit of apprehension filling their faces. To Jaune, that may as well have been an indicator that no one here was going to be a hunter. So this was not worth the bother.

So perhaps a different change of pace.

"But you don't have to be a huntsman or a huntress to be a hero," he said. "Help someone close to you. Help others whenever you can. Small acts can go a long way."

And he believed it when he said it. He truly did believe that even the most seemingly insignificant gestures were important. Penny had given him so much by giving him his food trays, listening to him, and being there for him when he needed it the most.

Some of the kids seemed to understand this, while others were clearly not quite at that level. Jaune didn't fault any who did not understand. If he had to guess, most of these kids hadn't been trained in advanced educational training like he was.

"I must be off," Jaune spoke. "Stay strong, all of you."

Jaune took off fast before anyone could ever hope to catch up. He had inadvertently drawn far too much attention to himself by doing that. What had made him want to do it?

Maybe he did yearn for attention on a subconscious level. His many years immersed in nothing but bettering himself for the sake of saving the world had done more than make him better. In a way, he wanted to know who it was that he was fighting for.

Another selfish thing?

Yes.

Jaune made a mental note to never do something like that again. If he was fortunate, then those children any any nearby people would forget the day. If not, then perhaps he would potentially catch the attention of the populace which would eventually lead to people who were against his goals.

Again, not a good thing.

Jaune realized that he had entered what appeared to be a more run-down and unmaintained area of the city. Graffiti lined the many building walls, waste of all sorts lined the streets, a few windows smashed in and replaced with poorly-placed wooden boards. Some of the buildings looked like they hadn't been maintained for years.

Seeing this, Jaune quickly checked his map to see that he was going in the right direction. To his dissatisfaction, this was the area that Penny had had discerned from her work. He would have to tread this area carefully.

There were some people in sight, but none of them approached him thankfully. Keeping his hood over his head, the blond soldier kept his eyes peeled for anything that stood out to him, which was everything around him.

How could anyone live like this? This was hardly an ideal place to grow physically and mentally. Already the sanitation levels were extremely low. The disrepair around him reflected heavily on the sort of people that lived here. Nobody seemed to care to help one another.

It wasn't his problem, but that didn't stop Jaune from wondering just how bad life here was. Was there anything he could do?

 _"Jaune, this is Penny. Have you found anything?"_

Snapping back into action, Jaune keyed into his com unit.

"Nothing. Are you certain this area you've given me is the right one?"

 _"Affirmative. But this is a general area. There are many tunnels and unseen passages underground. It could be an entrance to a tunnel network which will lead you to the place you want."_

"Anything else that you can tell me?"

 _"Nothing else concrete. I'll be in contact."_

Jaune switched off of his com, then looked around. That's when he spotted someone that looked out of place. Quickly getting into cover and activating his cloaking device, the boy watched a man with a black suit and tie and a hat covering his head. The face was covered by sunglasses of a dark color. In a place like this, he stood out.

The man talked to some people, then quickly took to walking away in quick strides. Jaune followed as quietly as he could. Every so often, he would break line of sight to be sure that he hadn't been spotted. For several minutes, it was a game of cat and mouse, with Jaune keeping his prey barely within range in order to stay on the trail but hang back in case he was being led into a trap.

A turn into a dark alley saw the man knocking on a door and talking to someone on the other side before the door parted for him, then closed.

 _Well,_ he reasoned, _It's about as good a place as any to start._

Before he could move forward, a hand clamped over his mouth and he was promptly lifted off the ground. Jaune's first instinct was to counterattack. Then his senses alerted him that this was someone familiar.

That aura…

"I'm surprised to see you out here, Jaune."

The hand over his mouth disappeared, but he was still off the ground.

"You were following me, Raven."

With that, Jaune felt himself let go and he hit the ground. He turned to confirm that it was indeed his huntress mentor. She hadn't changed one bit.

"What happened to you?" Raven put a hand to his face.

"Nothing that needs to be worried about," he assured.

Her crimson-red eyes searched his, and he no doubt could tell that already she was already determining what his words meant. It was a look that always did bring a shred of shame to him, like he had done something wrong.

"Whoever did this to you," she spoke. "I hope they had a reason to."

Raven was many things to Jaune. She was a teacher, a mentor, a person he cared about. Sometimes, he might just call her a mother figure, the one he never had. She was still his superior in battle, and she still did force him to learn quickly, but when they weren't in the heat of battle, she was… this person.

Jaune didn't wish for this sympathy, not even from her.

"Their reasons are good for now," Jaune answered. "But right now, I have work to do."

"Do you really thing you can just follow a man into the underworld, Jaune?"

"Yes." He was firm.

"Brave, but naive." Raven folded both her arms in front of her. "The underworld is not something you've dealt with before."

"The underworld?" Jaune narrowed his eyes.

"This is the place where some of the most shady characters go. You will never find a place with scum and villainy than down there. And you would go in unprepared?"

"I am not defenseless."

She ignored this.

"I will accompany you. And don't think about convincing me otherwise. Consider this yet another training exercise, a learning experience."

It seemed almost hurtful to say that he didn't really know what he was doing, but it was in his nature. So much was riding on him completing this mission, and doing it without mistakes. If he failed, not only would he be reprimanded, but perhaps Penny as well. And he didn't want her to shoulder any blame.

Raven was outside the jurisdiction of the Atlas military, but just the same, Jaune didn't fancy the idea of dragging down the huntress in any way.

So he tried again.

"I don't think that would b-"

Raven turned to slash her blade and create a portal. Before he could say or do anything, the boy found himself being thrown into the portal.

Jaune lumbered forward, and was followed by Raven.

They were inside what Jaune saw to be a tunnel.

He turned to give her a look of indignation. She frowned back.

No turning back.

"Lead the way," Jaune conceded.

 **I… I… I can't… I can't even… volume 3 finale… what the… Pyrrha… Arkos… how… what…**

 **So back on topic, I've got some serious ideas concerning what's been revealed in Volume 3 and I've gotten more ideas from it. Even though I was rather caught off guard by the Volume 3 finale, I laughed. Laughing is my way of being said. Just how twisted is that? But it is sad to see Arkos sink really bad. Now we have Team JRRN? Is Jaune the leader, or is Ruby leading? I dunno. In any case, thing are looking bleak. With the rest of Team RWBY indisposed so to speak, there's no telling the dynamic of this new team.**

 **I want to make this the final mini-adventure before I skip ahead to many years later. I'm sure a great deal many of you want me to get to Beacon. I know I'm looking forward to it.**

 **And with that, if you loved this chapter, let me know in a review. If you hated it, tell me why. And as always feedback is appreciated. If there are a lot of grammatical errors, that's my bad. I got this out rather quickly.**

 **Thanks for giving this story over 20,000 views. You guys are awesome.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading and remember, a friend is a gift you give yourself.**

 **Peace out!**


	14. Chapter 14: Clubbing

Chapter 14: Clubbing

 **Somewhere in Vale…**

Raven Branwen kept a close eye on her charge. Jaune Arc was no lightweight, but he was a potential target because he was a new face.

Here in the underworld of Remnant, one had to know their stuff in order to succeed and thrive. Failures weren't looked highly upon, and sometimes, failures ended up sleeping with the fishes.

Raven had dealt with a few criminals and gang leaders in her time, and no matter how much she had done it, she still didn't like it one bit. It was unfortunate that the scum down in the pits of Remnant were sometimes the only people with the information that she sought. Not even the most morally-guided people could provide the much-needed things a huntress required.

Like today.

Jaune had a mission clearly, and if his poking around was any indication, he was willing to use anything as long as he accomplished the mission. The huntress could admire and respect such a thing; such a morality would serve him well in his life. And she didn't doubt that he wouldn't overstep his boundaries. Jaune was disciplined, in many ways more than she ever was and would ever be.

And Raven knew that her repeated forms of contact with him were signs of how much she cared about his well-being. Jaune knew without a doubt, and more than once, he'd shown the same amount of care for her. It made her innards lift up to know that someone still cared for her.

But he was by no means a child that hugged and kissed her. No, he was an adolescent on a mission, a really significant mission. Raven had yet to know who her served and for what reason did he serve. His behavior was so unlike what was normal for boys his age, and Raven wondered sometimes if there was even a person in that body of his. It seemed like there was a machine programmed to do as it was told, more so than a boy who was trying to be a hero.

Yes, Raven was well aware of Jaune's dreams of becoming a huntsman. She knew it would stick with him because of the one time he had spoken of it, it had been with such conviction, such certainty. Such passion was far and few, and Raven hadn't seem that sort of passion for some time, not since Beacon Academy.

Would he be able to see that dream come to pass?

She didn't know, but she would damn herself if she didn't give him the skills that would make him into an ideal huntsman at the very least. In many ways, he was just like Taiyang: optimistic, hopeful, and driven, except Jaune carried himself with far more discipline.

"Do you even know where I need to go," Jaune asked.

Raven tilted her head to her right. "There's only one place you can go, dear Jaune."

"And that is?"

"It's a night club. Rumors are that the man who runs the place knows everything about what goes on in Vale. He's your best chance."

"And you believe rumors?" Jaune sounded skeptical.

"I've found out that the rumors are very true," she explained. "I've had some dealings with him before. His information is good, and if he won't talk, he can be 'convinced.'"

Jaune said nothing further about the subject, and she didn't feel the need to say any further words of explanation, so Raven kept watching him out the corner of her eyes as they traversed the tunnels.

They weren't the only ones there. They rounded a corner and soon found themselves with other men of various attires and various attitudes. There was nothing that the two of them couldn't overcome together. That being said, Jaune was new here, and even with his level of skill and experience, he still was at a disadvantage.

So Raven stepped up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder and thankfully he kept walking without requiring any words of direction to be given to him. Jaune was very much stiff at her change in mood. It wouldn't take him long to know why it was she was doing this. As long as she was with him, virtually no one would dare to come at him.

Raven leaned into his ear. "Do as I do at all times. And keep your eyes forward. Look at the wrong person, and you've made your work more complicated than it has to be."

He nodded, but otherwise remained still. Just as she said, he didn't do anything else. He was good at listening to instructions without even a hint of indecision, something that Raven was forever grateful that wasn't normal about him. Brats were frustrating, and Raven didn't like brats.

Eventually they were led to two large doors. Two men in black suits and ties as well as glasses to cover their faces stood guard. When they spotted Raven, they seemed to stiffen at the sight of the huntress. Then they noticed the boy in front of her, her hand on his shoulder, and she could see momentary curiosity.

They seemed really nervous as they opened the metal doors and allowed the two of them in.

If there was one thing that never changed in this place, it was the tunes that played. Poppy sounds of all kinds played, most of them about girls who were looking for a good time or guys who bragged about their good looks, natural charm, or some other macho-guy personality trait. Raven didn't prefer these settings as they starkly contrasted with her as a person. Frankly, it made her sick that people even had the time to bother in such a pit of a place, and she wasn't just talking about this specific joint.

 _I'm sure Qrow would very much occupy a place like this._

Pushing her brother to the back of her mind, Raven guided Jaune to the bar.

And there he was, as normal as he always was.

Hei Xiong

Or Junior, which to Raven, suited him just fine in the right situations.

Junior didn't hesitate to take notice of the huntress as she made her way to the bar. His expression was disinterested. He likely didn't have take any joy in seeing her here. It was unfortunate that she didn't care what he thought.

She gestured, and he immediately took her sign and went to mix a drink.

With him indisposed temporarily, she had time to ask questions.

"What exactly are you here for Jaune?"

"My superiors want to know what the White Fang plans."

The White Fang? The non-violent Faunus protest group turned terrorist? What interest would he or those he served have in a terrorist group?

Only governments cared about terrorists.

Raven let that realization be filed into her mental library. She already knew what to ask Junior.

A small glass was pushed her way; with her free hand, Raven retrieved it and quickly downed it. She'd get a bit of a buzz, but she could hold down her alcohol just fine. She knew her limits.

"What do you want," Junior crossed his arms.

Blunt, just the way she liked it.

"Have you heard any news about the White Fang," Raven pressed. "Spare no details."

The well-dressed man pulled out a scroll. Jaune's head shifted slightly, no doubt to watch what was on it.

Junior tapped a control. "My sources say that the White Fang are already on the move. They've already got several operations at these locations."

He handed her the scroll.

The woman took the device and looked carefully at the information. Although it wasn't priority information for her, it might yet prove useful sometime in the near future. It was also "free," and she wasn't about to waste anything she could use. Raven made sure to hold the scroll in a way that allowed Jaune to see it as well. Perhaps he could process information faster than she could with his cybernetics.

It was surprising to see that indeed that the White Fang was up to more than what Raven had known initially from word of mouth on the streets. Already they were planning on targeting factories and transportations systems that were essential to the Schnee Dust Company. Of course that made sense, as that was the source of much injustice done to Faunus. What also was logical was that larger forces were being concentrated on less-protected areas. Vacuo locations had the least defenses, so platoons were being moved to attack. In Atlas, there were operatives and agents working in pairs at specific targets.

"The Schnee family," Jaune whispered.

Raven followed her mentee's voice to what he was staring at. A red dot marked a location in Atlas. She magnified the section to see more details.

She then sucked in a deep breath.

Twelve-year-old Weiss Schnee was a prime target of the newly-reformed White Fang. She was to be captured during a conference meeting between her father and members of the Atlas Council.

"I've seen enough," Raven tossed the scroll back. "I'll be taking my leave."

"Please so," Junior voiced annoyingly. "You're scaring everyone off."

Raven ignored the quip, and steered Jaune to the exit, while flinging a wad of lien at Junior. He had earned it for at least being being decently compliant. But before she left, Raven made sure to give every of his men a withering stare to scare the daylights out of them. They had to remember who meant business.

As soon as they were alone, Raven unveiled her weapon and created a portal.

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the surface. I'd prefer not to tolerate another moment here if all possible."

"If you say so."

It sounded like he didn't really have any negative opinion of this experience, and the huntress doubted that he would change his opinion as long as he remained as he was. If only she could say that she approached every situation without any form of emotion.

They both entered the portal, then exited onto an abandoned street. It hadn't been too long, but already more clouds were filling the sky that weren't in the sky when they'd first entered the underworld.

"You have what you needed," Raven pointed to his head. "What will you do with it?"

"Whatever must be done," Jaune replied cryptically.

She frowned at his unwillingness to explain. Such was Jaune Arc's mode of conversation. There was nothing more to be gained from this conversation.

"Then no time for dilly-dallying." She sighed. "I must go."

"...thank you Raven."

They rarely ever smiled, and eye contact was the closest to an emotional goodbye ever 'said' between the two of them. Blue against red.

Raven walked through the portal again, and Jaune took back to the city.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

The door to their apartment opened and closed quickly. Penny perked up from her searching to see Jaune with a look of utter focus.

"You found something," Penny guessed.

The blond didn't even bother to say anything as he began to input information into the main terminal; Penny watched as the map of Remnant appeared along with information highlighted in different colors. Her eyes scanned, taking only seconds to process it.

"This is a lot," Penny frowned. "But where should we start?"

Jaune pointed. "We need to postpone information gathering for now. The Schnee heiress is being targeted. We need to return to Atlas and ensure her safety."

"But we may expose ourselves to the public," Penny warned. "We should reconsider this."

"This is a private meeting," Jaune disagreed, "Only the Atlas Council and a few members of the Schnee Dust Company will be present. The councilors are already aware of my existence. The Schnee's can be sworn to secrecy."

Jaune quickly rattled off a message to General Ironwood informing the change in plans. Penny said nothing, knowing that any chance of persuading her partner to change his mind had already left the moment he had obtained this information. His fingers worked at lightning-fast speeds as he typed faster than anyone his age could possibly type normally.

"Jaune," she tried again, "At least tell me you have a plan."

He nodded. "Always."

Because they were operating outside of the jurisdiction of the Atlas military, they had a great deal of resources that were more or less at their disposal. Of course any access to top-secret and otherwise classified information by the two of them wouldn't be sanctioned 'officially'. So while they were privy to such sensitive caches of data, it was risky to access said data.

Penny didn't doubt for one moment that Jaune had a plan. He was a master strategist and tactician. Give him a mission and he would find a way to complete it no matter the cost. He would expose every single little weak point that could turn the tide in his favor. Careful observation and a sharp eye led him to find conceivable ways to help him that few would be able to find. And if there wasn't a weakness to exploit, Jaune would make a weakness.

The map shifted to a large building which Penny could recognize as a Schnee Dust Headquarters in Atlas, right in the heart of the capital. It was one of the most secure places in all of the kingdom. With the influential status of the Schnee's in addition to cutting-edge technology, it was a disguised fortress.

The building was divided into many sections with workers and employees working different sections of the building. Guards also were stationed there, armed and ready.

"Here," Jaune pointed. "This is the main complex where the Council and Blanco Schnee will meeting. This complex has state-of-the-art security measures all around the complex. Nobody without a proper identification can enter the building without triggering alarms."

Penny acknowledged his words, but otherwise didn't talk. When Jaune was discussing a plan, it was best not to interrupt. He didn't like to repeat things more than once.

"Which means," Jaune thought out loud, "That likely the infiltrators are disguised as authorized personnel with proper clearance. And because it's the White Fang, their Faunus features would have to be disguised or somehow hidden."

That made sense so far, but it was a very large place, and security measures seemed a bit too high for two infiltrators to escape with a high-profile target. There had to be more.

"That can't be right," Penny contended. "Two agents can't do all of this."

"They won't have to," he answered. "All it takes are moles in a system to cripple it from the inside. The agents themselves may not even be the ones tasked with the kidnapping. They may be simply the first step in a larger plan."

A thought crossed the synthetic's mind.

"How do we know when this attack will commence?"

The part-cyborg blond's eyes darted to all of the information displayed. There wasn't a specific date nor a time. This was merely a location.

Then a thought crossed his mind.

"Check to see when the council is meeting with the head Schnee."

Penny reached for a second terminal and worked her magic in accessing Schnee records and scheduling. It didn't take her long to find the information she was looking for given how specific her searching parameters were.

Penny's eyes squinted slightly. "The attack will commence in exactly one day and six hours."

"Then we need to leave now," Jaune said, "We can plan out the details along the way. Inform General Ironwood that we are moving to the capital."

"Wouldn't it be easier to call General Ironwood and send soldiers to guard the building?"

"The attention isn't needed," Jaune argued. "And furthermore, how would he explain how he knew of such an attack? That could launch an investigation, and that's something we cannot have. No, this must remain a covert operation."

Logical as always.

Penny did what she was asked.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Adam Taurus's hand scraped against the blade of his weapon. It had proved numerous times to be a reliable weapon for him. He needed it to be considering he was faced with foes of great power and high skill.

He was one of the best combatants of the White Fang, and he took great pride in showing his brothers and sisters how best to wield a weapon. They would all have need of such skills, for their means to achieve the goal of Faunus justice had been altered.

New leaders had taken over the White Fang, preaching a need for violent means in order to bear tangible fruits rather than chase hopeless dreams that would never come to pass. Humans were violent and cruel by nature, and they shunned what wasn't them, and all Faunus were made into victims as a result. It was time for the victims to be the aggressors and retaliate in kind what Humans had wrought upon their species.

Many had already jumped on this new avenue of ideology. It was understandable seeing that protests and rallies and non-violent forms of fighting Faunus injustice didn't seem to do anything noticeable to change the minds of Humans.

With this in mind, there were many still who were hesitant about these means, saying that violence would only incite more violence and would never allow Humans to see anything more than monsters in Faunus should it continue.

Adam didn't care what Humans thought. Let them think what they wanted to think, because Humans hadn't given the same kind of mercy and thoughtfulness, so why should he show them mercy?

His first mission as part of the new White Fang was to capture Weiss Schnee, heiress to the most influential name associated with dust mining and purification, and heiress to the company which represented the greatest of Faunus prejudice. Adam despised the name Schnee and felt their kind didn't deserve any form of mercy, but like it or not, he had orders to follow.

And who better to join him on his mission than his partner Blake Belladonna? She was a natural talent with a blade. He had helped her to forge Gambol Shroud, one of few things she owned. She was also very much suited to this sort of mission given her ability to remain quiet and undetected.

Blake seemed a bit apprehensive about the changes in the White Fang. She wasn't strictly a non-violent person, but neither was she fully endorsing the combative methods that the White Fang represented. Adam didn't pay it much mind, as he knew Blake to be of a reasonable mind; she would be swayed to the right way of thinking when the results spoke for themselves.

"Sixteen hours," Adam muttered. "It would be a good idea to make sure all the pieces are in place."

Sixteen hours may seem like a long time to be waiting, but Adam was one to keep himself busy with something. Sometimes, days would pass by and he wouldn't even know it until he actually checked his scroll or asked one of his comrades.

Right now, they were at one of the various safe houses in Atlas, and because their marks were instantly recognizable to the public, they had to remain hidden until the attack commenced. Because Faunus had the advantage of near-perfect night vision, they would attack when the night covered the city. The less public attention, the better.

All they had to wait for was the all-clear to make a clean and silent infiltration.

The first thing he checked to see that were present and accounted for. A team of eight would attack the building, each with a set purpose. Fion and Aiden were to strike at the power station. Allura and Hunter were tasked to act as outside watch, only intervening if absolutely necessary. Chester and Lance were going to provide cover for Blake and Adam, and the two of them had the most important task: capturing the target.

If there was any real threat, they would have need of more warriors, but the arrogance of the Schnee family worked in their favor. They believed themselves untouchable, and as such, guard postings weren't as harsh as it could have been.

Each pair would have to go in individually and perform their task and not a hair out of place. They had rehearsed this plan at least twenty times. They couldn't stick around longer than an hour at best. They were good, but an armed legion would likely follow suit once the situation was realized by someone outside. That would make this job a lot harder.

They just had to wait for the agents within the facility.

Adam ran a hair through his bright red hair, his hands feeling his obvious Faunus features. Perhaps a few hours sleep were warranted given the fact that once the mission was complete, they wouldn't be getting much rest. It would be back to the wilds and from there, their next move would be planned.

"Adam," a familiar voice called out.

He turned his head to see his partner. Blake looked concerned for him, and as much as he appreciated the gesture, he found it difficult to accept her concern. He didn't want her to worry about him.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just making sure we're ready."

"We've been ready for weeks," Blake said. "What's there to worry about?"

Adam didn't reply, and truthfully, he wasn't sure what answer would be satisfying enough for Blake.

"Get some sleep," the man spoke. "You'll need it for tomorrow."

"You too," Blake sternly responded. "You won't do us good if you're half-awake."

"I'll get my sleep," Adam assured. "Make sure the others are ready. Don't do anything too overtaxing. Keep sparring to a minimum."

 _Please don't argue with me, Blake,_ he mulled.

It was silent for maybe a few seconds, then he heard her footsteps as she left him alone in the map room.

His eyes drooped slightly, before he shook his head.

He really did need more sleep.

Fourteen and a half hours left.

Had time really slipped away from him that easily?

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jillian Arc snarled as she leaped forward towards her eldest sister, Jenette. The two collided with enough aura energy to cause a momentary whirlwind that lifted up loose objects with a few meter diameter.

The two of them separated and walked in a circle, trying to discern each other's weaknesses, or more specifically how to exploit the already-known weaknesses and be discreet about it. That was just as laborious as it sounded.

Jenette charged again, her eyes sparkling with sheer ferocity and seemingly unlimited energy. The elder sister didn't falter as she waited for the younger sister to charge. At the last second, an aura shield was brought up between the two of them, forcing Jillian to separate

"Whoa there little sister," Jenette said. "This is a spar, not a battle."

"Every time a weapon's drawn," Jillian growled, "It's a battle, regardless if deadly intent is meant."

Anger and annoyance had seemingly become more of a norm of Jillian Arc, and her mood was especially intensified when anything with relation to Jaune was on her mind. Being a huntress was one of those things. Jillian was a student at Shade Academy, which matched her more rough personality, and like Jenette, she was doing this to honor her little brother that was no longer a part of their lives.

Right now, it was spring break for both of them, and both huntresses in training had bid their teammates farewell for a short time and had returned home. Their teammates were already aware of their unfortunate plight, and understood the reasons why they wanted only family at the Arc household.

Ashton and Grace would be returning soon from their college studies. Both of them had enrolled in Atlas University, and proving to be quite good at keeping up with the high standards, with mostly A's and one or two B's; all in all, it was a good track record so far. The two of them had managed to move on in life, though that wasn't to say that they didn't wish for their baby brother back, but life wouldn't give them that, so they had to move on.

Jenette hadn't given up hope. She was determined to find the whereabouts of her brother. Her time at Haven Academy hadn't borne any fruit, which was a colossal frustration. Nothing, not even a clue here or there. Having access to resources of all hunter academies did nothing to help her search.

The worst part was that over time, her search had stopped completely, because like it or not, she couldn't find anything at all. It was like looking for a needle in the haystack of Remnant: near impossible.

It was sad, but what else could she do?

The sound of a vehicle pulling up the driveway alerted both sisters that their parents were home. The two of them stopped their spar, setting down their weapons before running up to greet them.

Jillian crashed into her mother before giving the biggest hug she could give. Their mother returned the embrace.

"How are our two huntresses doing," Gina asked.

"Better now that you're here," Jillian spoke softly.

Their father joined in on the hug. Jenette watched with a smile. It was nice to see that the family was slowly healing. Her father saw her staring and motioned her forward. So she joined their hug.

"So when did you guys get back," Jacob asked.

"Got back this morning," Jillian answered. "Dust plane dropped us off. It's good to be home."

"How's Miranda doing," Jenette inquired. "Lana? Amara? I haven't gotten around to visiting with them, being with Jillian and all."

"They're doing good," Gina replied. "All things considered."

Lana and Amara, the once carefree twins were not taking on the responsibility of maintaining the household and caring for Miranda. Even more strange was that they were becoming the mediators that settled differences between any warring family members. Less fights broke out as a result and the family had overall become much more bonded.

Miranda had taken the longest time to accept that Jaune wasn't in their lives anymore. It had taken the support of the entire family to try and stop her from descending into even more sadness. She still wasn't fully recovered, none of them were, but for the sake of the family and herself, Miranda had to accept what was.

"It's good that everyone's coming home," Jacob smiled. "It seems like forever since we've all been together."

"I know what you mean dad," Jenette nodded. "And we're glad to be home."

"What she said," Jillian muttered, "And then some."

"Got anything to bring in," Jenette offered.

"Nothing today," her father shook his head. "But thanks for the thought anyway."

The two huntresses decided to put up their weapons for the day and join in on the family. It wouldn't be long before the first twins got back, and like it had been mentioned, having all the members of the Arc family together was very difficult given their paths in life.

When the door opened, the television was sounding, and Miranda, Lana, and Amara were watching it with rapt interest.

"Mom, dad," Miranda acknowledged. "This is some crazy stuff right here."

"What is it," the Arc mother stepped forward.

The four who had just entered looked to the screen to see what was so interesting. The first thing that was obvious was that it was a news channel. The second was the headline that was boldly shown.

SCHNEE DUST COMPANY HEADQUARTERS UNDER ATTACK

"What," Jacob looked astonished. "Who in their right mind would do that? Attacking Schnee headquarters is tantamount to a death wish."

Jillian's eyes narrowed. "I think you know who would dare, dad."

He did know. He was a huntsman after all.

The White Fang.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Weiss was not really sure what was going on.

One moment, it was quiet as she listened to her father drone on about family business with the Atlesian Council. The heiress didn't even pretend that she was even vaguely interested in what was going on in the meeting. She had made her stance clear with her father: she was going to be a huntress. She was going to choose her own fate, and she'd carry out the Schnee family name in her own way.

That didn't stop him from trying to give her a good reason to reconsider, and that never ceased to annoy her.

Her stew of thoughts were halted when alarms started sounding all around the facility. Weiss knew what they were as she had to know about Schnee dust facilities, especially this one, the primary one owned by the SDC. The facility was equipped with security systems that ensured that none of the work done here was disturbed by anyone.

Nobody had to wait long to discern what came next, as smoke filled the room, causing everyone to sputter and cough and curse.

Weiss didn't have Myrtenaster with her, but she wasn't without any weapon. She did have a short sword concealed in her dress. She brandished it and quickly got into a proper stance. It was far from conquering her fears, but it was better than being completely unarmed.

"Weiss," Blanco Schnee called out. "Where are you!?"

"Father," she called. "I'm here!"

She then felt herself knocked to the ground roughly. Whoever had done it wasn't her father. She flipped herself over only to see something that she both feared and hated.

A White Fang Faunus.

It was clearly a man the way he was shaped physically. In one hand, he carried a katana. In the other, he held a sheath that appeared to act also as a firearm. When Weiss tried to defend herself, he casually disarmed her with a simple swipe. The shot sword clattered meters away from her.

"Nice try, Schnee scum," he growled.

The white-clad girl had no time to get up as he grabbed her roughly.

"And don't bother trying to use your semblance," he warned. "Or I will kill you."

"I won't be taken," Weiss cried indignantly. "Not by the likes of you, terrorist."

"Shut up," he intoned. "Speak more and I'll have your t-"

He didn't get to finish his words as shots sounded. The heiress couldn't triangulate where the shots had come, but what she could see was that her assailant had been wounded. With a cry of agony, he released from his grasp.

"WEISS," her father yelled.

Too many things were going on at once and Weiss failed to heed her father's shout to her. The more urgent threat was the Faunus still trying to advance on her.

Then someone materialized in front of Weiss, and her first instinct was to shy away.

"In the name of the Kingdom of Atlas," a synthesized voice called out, "You are under arrest."

She did a double take.

What?

Daring to chance a glance, Weiss turned her head. The first thing she spotted was the symbol of Atlas on the shoulder pad of her rescuer. She couldn't make out any features as his back was turned to her.

Her eyes were then drawn to the longsword that he held in his hand and the sheath at his side. No normal local or military personnel in Atlas carried a weapon like a sword.

A huntsman?

She felt a hand grab her, and she panicked on instinct, only to find out the hand belonged to her father.

"Weiss, we have to go," her father said.

Even as she was being led away, she couldn't help but peer at the figure in white.

Who was he?

* * *

 **What's up my readers? I'm sorry for the delay, but midterms and college have been putting my writing time on hold. I really hate to make updates inconsistent, but school has to take priority.**

 **The next chapter will finish up this story arc, and then we'll move along. As I may or may not have mentioned, this is AU to the bone. It's more fun that way.**

 **If the sudden shift in the events of this chapter confused anyone, my sincerest apologies. The next chapter will briefly shed some light on how we came to this moment.**

 **So where's the romance? I'm getting there. Jaune and Blake will have their first encounter, don't worry about that. A slow romance is how I like it.**

 **And that's all I've got to say.**

 **If you guys approve of this chapter, then let me know in a review. If you disliked it for whatever reason, I'd like to know why. Feedback and constructive criticism is appreciated.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, the world is anything but stable.**

 **Peace out!**


	15. Chapter 15: Drums of War

Chapter 15: Drums of War

 **SDC Headquarters**

 **Atlas**

 **Time Classified**

 **Date Classified**

Jaune and Penny had donned simple battle gear that would serve to merely mask their identities. The gear was not meant to be protective or useful in any sort of way. The two "children" were their own weapons, armor, and skills. Anything else was a distraction.

The flight over had taken them twelve hours, and that was in no small part to Jaune pushing the engines to the point of nearly frying them to hell. Their ship was faster than most ships in the Atlesian military, but even it was being pushed to the melting point by the time they had landed.

From their secret landing strip near the capital it took nearly an hour to navigate silently through the city. For the sake of lessening their visibility, they took to the high grounds, staying atop any tall building that would provide them ample visibility and cover.

With Crocea Mors in it's gun-shield hybrid sheath, Jaune felt more at ease. His weapon had seen him through many fights and skirmishes. It would see him through hundreds more, that he knew for certain.

Penny as also armed with her own weapons, concealed in her chassis, a much more effective way to conceal her weapons and give off the appearance of a girl with no means of defense.

The SDC building was the large building complex in the center of the city, more towards the industrial area. Jaune had already taken the liberty of storing a 3D map within his cybernetic arm's computers.

Reaching the facility, Jaune accessed the map, with rooms highlighted as to what purpose they served. In addition, he was currently tapped into security feeds which highlighted critical parts of the facility. So far, there were no unusual activities going on.

"Are we certain that this is time time," Penny asked.

"It is," Jaune affirmed, "I triple-checked on the way here. We are not wrong."

According to their information, this meeting was to last two hours, and in that time, there would discussion of dust resources being distributed among those in need of it, be it civilians, the military and whoever else used dust. Dust was vastly important to the world of Remnant, and Jaune had been made aware of the importance of the SCD.

What he had also been made aware of were some questionable means that this dust company practiced. Jaune had heard that Faunus laborers were subject to rather arduous work, more so than any Human that ever worked in the mines. Supposedly, Faunus were subjugated to racial prejudice, a fact that made the boy cock his head in wonder.

Why subjugate those based on a superficiality such as species? Why not judge a person by the content of their character? What compelled Humans to think that Faunus were not their equals? Was it on account of their animal traits?

For the life of him, Jaune could not understand the concept of racism nor could he comprehend judgement by the outside of a person. What appeared on the outside was hardly a good measuring stick for what a person could do, at least for a great deal of people. He never underestimated a person by looks. Jaune always assumed all opponents were skilled opponents.

But like it or not, it wasn't his place to question Human-Faunus relationships. Right now, he had lives to save, Humans or Faunus.

"Jaune," Penny announced, "I'm detecting abnormal activity in the main power room."

 _Of course,_ Jaune thought, _Cut the power and leave it defenseless._

Without main power the facility was vulnerable to any other potential agents of the White Fang. Sabotage would be given a prime opportunity, and many people would be left without dust. That could not be allowed to happen.

"Penny," Jaune said. "Whatever you do, keep the power on. We can't lose communications with the outside world."

"Understood," Penny said, taking off into a run for the nearest entry roof panel.

Jaune waited for her to get into position before moving himself. He activated his stealth cloak and took to crawling into a vent. Fortunately he was small enough to get through without much trouble, but he still had to keep himself in check. The slightest noises could alert someone that he was here.

Because he couldn't use his holographic projector in such a confined space, he was using his cybernetics to project the map on his HUD.

When he was at an where a grill was the only thing separating him from a room, he stopped moving and trained his eyes at the two guards who stood watch over their assigned position. Jaune regarded them with respect. It wasn't a glamorous job standing guard, but they were following their orders.

Then the blond knight sensed something with his semblance. It was a third presence, distinct and with an unlocked aura.

His senses were proved right when he spotted a figure sneaking up right behind the two guards. A quick scan from his cyborg eye confirmed the assailant to be a Faunus in disguises.

 _What now,_ Jaune thought. _How to retaliate without revealing my position?_

He then got the idea. It was simple.

Jaune called upon his semblance and began to connect to the Faunus's body. He could sense immediately some other thoughts and feelings, that of hate, anger, and loathing. This was not what he sought though.

Carefully keeping himself concealed, Jaune watched as the masked person took another careful step forward. Jaune then put his plan into action.

Instead of a silent footstep, Jaune manipulated it to be a loud one.

The guards heard this and turned around to fire at the enemy. With this distraction, Jaune took the opportunity to move farther along the vent.

The sound of alarms all around him didn't put his mind at ease.

"Penny," he hissed. "Status report. Now."

 _"Threats subdued,"_ Penny said over comm, _"Two Faunus White Fang members."_

Jaune frowned. "Restrain them and make sure communications remain online."

" _Acknowledged and understood."_

The conference room would be coming up soon. He would have to be quick; precious seconds were ticking away, seconds that could determine mission success or failure.

The sound of muffled cries and shouts alerted Jaune to the source. It sounded like a lot of people being attacked at once. That was an indicator that he was nearing the target. He began to increase his speed going through the pipes. Stealth may as well been rendered impractical as there was more than enough noise within the building now to mask his own entrance.

Tapping into his cybernetics, Jaune began by isolating every single noise that wasn't a voice. He needed clear sound in order to properly identify potential targets to file away in a dossier.

"Wiess! Where are you?!"

Jaune instantly was on the voice who had said that. It sounded like a man, likely the heiress's father. He quickly began to trace it back to the source. Ten meters down this way, then a left and twenty meters further.

Jaune began to go as fast as the space would allow him to go. It was all up to him now; Penny was indisposed.

"I won't be taken, not by the likes of your, terrorist!"

That voice came from a female, a child Jaune deduced. Weiss Schnee was nearby. He needed to pick up the pace and get there yesterday. A few more meters down this way. An opening was spotted ahead.

Jaune looked down to see a smoke-filled room, but his eyes were instantly processing through all of the smoke in order to see what he could positively identify as Weiss Schee. Near her was a White Fang Faunus male carrying a katana and gun sheath.

Time to get down there.

Keeping his breathing calm, Jaune reached for his trusty rifle, Killobyte. Taking careful aim, he then realized something.

Jaune had never killed another person before. He had killed hundreds of Grimm without so much as thinking about it. Now it was in his hands to take the shot that could very well result in a fatality. Was he willing to do it?

The boy realized that was the wrong question to be asking. The real question was what was worth more. To kill now would be to lose out on potential information regarding the White Fang. The threat would be neutralized, but at the cost of info.

If he wounded, he would be letting a threat live, but risking new intel that could very well turn the tide in favor of Altas. Information was power in the right hands, and Jaune desired information like he desired oxygen.

Information or certainty?

Jaune's logical side kicked in.

He shifted to the right slightly and aimed for the shoulder. With a pull of the trigger, the gun kicked back against him slightly. The three-round burst caught the Faunus right where he intended the shots to go. A grunt of pain followed.

Folding the gun into its sheathe, Jaune quickly removed the grate from its place and dropped down silently masking his sound by making his aura soften his landing. His camouflage kicked into gear. The Schnee girl backed away from the Faunus. The assailant meanwhile was checking over his wounds.

Now was the time to apprehend the criminal. Jaune decloaked.

His eyes narrowed. "In the name of the Kingdom of Atlas, you are under arrest."

The Faunus male finally turned to look at him. The man's eyes were carefully concealed by a white mask decorated with red symbols. It was a Grimm mask Jaune could discern immediately having seen Raven wear one.

"Human scum," he muttered. "Interfering with proper justice."

Jaune puzzled at this. "How is kidnapping justice?"

"Humans have wronged us," the man growled, "Now we shall deliver the same retribution."

While Jaune was absorbing the words of this clearly unstable Faunus, he was also reaching out with his aura to get a sense of what sort of combatant he was dealing with. He carried a sword much like someone who knew how to use it well, so the immediate thing was to assume was the opponent was deadly with it. As for his semblance, Jaune could sense something very powerful. He needed more to analyze before he could know exactly what semblance this was.

What he did know was a name, Adam Taurus, and he would not desist, so Jaune resorted to one last attempt before he drew his blade.

"Final warning, Adam Taurus" Jaune threatened, "Surrender and face fair trial."

"There is nothing fair that humans do," he snarled back.

Jaune drew Crocea Mors and charged first. The man predictably blocked his first attack and moved to counter the moment the block was complete. The blond jumped back to make distance, his head snapping up to see the redhead sheath his blade again.

 _Iaido,_ Jaune thought, _That would mean quick, lethal, and unpredictable._

This time Adam began an offensive. Jaune moved to get into a purely defensive moves. His blade was moving fast, but the Faunus moved just as fast. A quick deflect from a side strike, a parry from a diagonal slash from the right. Jaune anticipated the gun sheath. Two shots rang out from Adam's weapon, forcing the knight to use his metallic arm to stop the shots.

This was getting nowhere fast. If the fight didn't end, then the mission could go haywire. There were still other White Fang agents no doubt in the facility.

"Penny," Jaune gritted his teeth, "Status."

Jaune didn't hear her voice, but rather the sound of shots being fired from another the com, the sound that only Penny's swords would make when firing. She was busy right now if she wasn't even able to respond.

 _"Busy,"_ she shouted, _"Holding off three agents."_

Adam took advantage of the momentary lapse in Jaune's concentration to do a sweep and effectively trip him. In the process, he also lost Crocea Mors from his grip.

Unpredictable? Most definitely.

Jaune brought up his robotic arm to stop the blade from impaling him, then redirected the blade to strike the ground before delivering an aura blast.

Adam was thrown back, and Jaune leaped to his feet. Jaune then scrambled to retrieve Crocea Mors.

"You waste your time, human," Adam growled, "Do you think we'll stop with one failure?"

Jaune didn't bother to be drawn into a philosophical conversation. He already had what he needed. Although their physical contact only lasted moments, it had given the blond knight what he needed to know. The Faunus had a very dangerous aura.

It was time to play a trump card, one that would no doubt not be something that would catch the Faunus twice.

Jaune reached out with his aura to seize control of Adam's body. When his opponent tried to break free, the cyborg only poured more aura into the body control. With the man now paralyzed, Jaune sprang forward and struck. He forgoed using Crocea Mors and instead struck at pressure points, effectively disabling the man.

The man didn't seem stunned by this course of action, nor did he dub over in terrible pain, but he was disabled for at least a short time.

That other thing Jaune managed to get from the body control? A bit of intel of who else might be on Weiss Schnee's tail.

A girl, Blake Belladonna.

Jaune used the butt of his rifle to knock the man down. Seeing that unconsciousness had set it, he took off.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Blake knew what Adam was doing the moment he got into combat with the cloaked white person branding an Atlas symbol. She needed to intercept the Schnee girl, and fast. The others weren't available to help her, so she was on her own in this little detour of the plan.

The counselors weren't the problem as they were already long gone to safety, but there still was a problem: the girl's father. She was likely not at level to be dealing with a Schnee who had a high level of skill and experience with aura. She needed to play this smart.

Blake pulled out a small vial of dust. She had been working on this trick to get her shadow clones to do more than just move. If she was right, she could also allow her clones to attack with whatever dust she chose to use. Right now, she had fire dust loaded in Gambol; her clones should be able to fight with fire on their side.

With her weapon carefully held in her hand, Blake unleashed a blade of fire from behind. Predictably, the head Schnee caught it with a glyph reminiscent of a snowflake.

Blake quickly used her shadow clones to conceal her true self, taking cover behind a pillar all the while manipulating two shadow clones to attack with her fighting style in mind. She could keep this up for about thirty seconds, enough time to get her an angle in which to snatch up the Schnee and make a run for it.

If only Adam were here. He would make short work of this mess, but Blake couldn't rely upon him for everything.

She kept up her attacks with the shadow clones. Fire rained down upon the room, causing torrents of scars across the wall and floor. Blake gripped Gambol and Shroud tightly as she stealthily moved to flank while her clones kept the occupation of her prey.

The Schnee girl was summoning glyphs, her aura, but if her control showed anything, she was far from skilled in its use. Taking her down would be relatively easy provided her father wasn't there to help her. A distraction from Blanco Schnee was what was required.

Blake gritted her teeth as she summoned another clone to the elder Schnee. All the while she kept inching forward.

 _"Blake, this is Fion. Aiden and I have got you covered. Get to the Schnee."_

The girl didn't bother to see where her companions were located. They were masters of hiding, and they could be trusted. She simply nodded to herself.

The sound of gunfire echoed from unseen spots in the room. Both Schnees were using shielding glyphs to protect themselves from gunfire.

"Weiss, go!"

"But I can help!"

"Do as I say. NOW!"

Blake smirked just a little bit. The perfect opportunity had just been given. Now to seize it.

"I'm moving to intercept," Blake said over com. "I'll call for help if needed."

Seeing Weiss Schnee exit the room and taking to the narrow hallways, the Faunus girl stuck to the shadows. Blake saw that the girl wasn't even trying to be inconspicuous, a bad move on her part. Clearly, she'd never had to defend herself or else she'd be better prepared for something like this.

Such arrogance.

Blake was an expert at sticking to the shadows, listening and watching. The girl fumbled this way and that trying to keep herself going. She was going somewhere, but she was Human, not capable of seeing in the dark.

Blake brought her weapon to bear and launched a dust strike, and found to her mild surprise that the Schnee girl was able to immediately shield herself from the attack even with her back. An instinctive protection means?

No time to debate this; Blake was no longer unknown in this dark place.

"Show yourself coward," the schnee girl growled. "You dare attack a Schnee?"

Coward? Blake gripped her weapons tighter. This girl had the nerve to attack what they stood for? The White Fang was no place for cowards, but for those who had a vision for a better for Faunus all around.

Blake reeled her emotions as best as she could.

She launched another shadow clone at the girl. Once again, the girl defended herself with a glyph shaped into a shield. The clone didn't seem to deter the Schnee as it was dispatched by an icicle attack. The girl was now surrounded by a glow that illuminated the darkness around them.

 _Dammit. I guess this means up close and personal._

The Faunus slashed in rapid succession, forcing Weiss to backpedal, all the while dodging and retaliating with ice projectiles and blunt weapons.

Still, despite the Schnee's semblance and her ability to hold off Blake, Weiss was clearly not going to be able to maintain it for long. With her eyesight and her senses, Blake detected more than a little fatigue.

"You're weakening," Blake ducked under a blow, "Surrender is slowly becoming your best choice. I'd take it."

"Never," Weiss glared. "Not to your kind."

Blake raised Gambol and moved for an impale to Weiss's side, finding the girl more agile than her footwear suggested. The Faunus was caught off guard when she felt herself forced back by offensive ice spikes coming towards her, albeit rocky in their formation. Blake charged them instead, leaping up and over them, continuing to carve her own acrobatic path around, through, or up the obstacle course.

By the time Blake got to the place where she thought the Schnee girl to be, she was momentarily confounded to see that she wasn't there. Weiss had taken the opportunity to escape instead of fight.

Coward indeed? What a coincidence.

Granted, there was probably a reason to this, as Blake soon came to discover. As she traced Weiss, she found herself at four-way hallway, all of them with traces of Weiss unique signature.

 _A good attempt,_ she thought, _But not enough._

All Faunus had some sort of animal abilities that was linked to the animal traits that they displayed. For Blake, she had some more sensitive hearing as well as sensitive nose. The first thing for her to do was to see which hallway produced the most noise. One of the easiest indicators was one was louder than the other. There was no one else out here as it was standard protocol for all SDC workers to evacuate the moment alarms sounded.

The second way to test which way the target went was to sniff out the concentration of each signature left. One of them had to be stronger than the other. The girl could only do so much to cover up her tracks.

Eight seconds passed, and Blake knew where to go instantly: straight ahead. She took off, and listened with her ears as she tracked a set of heels against the floor. She was definitely on the right track.

Blake then halted in her tracks and found herself in a dangerous part of the facility: dust processing. The facility was abuzz as machines continued to perform their tasks despite having no supervisors anywhere.

Why would the girl lead here here?

Blake then felt something sharp against her throat.

"Do not make a move."

It was a male voice, but heavily distorted. The blade angle was relatively shallow, indicating a person not as tall as Adam, but still taller than herself.

"Weapons. Down. Now."

Blake thought over her options carefully. She didn't know who she was dealing with, and in her time fighting, one thing that stuck in her mind was to never take chances. However, she was also dedicated to the White Fang, and the new rule was to never give in to the enemy.

What was more important: her life or her dedication?

The blade against her throat moved slightly, but her assailant otherwise didn't speak. It was probably that he was waiting to see what she was going to do. He may very well be expecting her to lash out.

Then she thought about what Adam would think if she surrendered. She could see his face now, and all she saw was disappointment.

Blake attacked with Gambol and Shroud in an X maneuver. Her opponent didn't seem at all phased by this attack, opting to simply clash his blade in the X formation, forcing the two of them to test each others' strength. Within seconds, it was clear to Blake that even with both weapons and her own arm strength, she wasn't going to overpower him. He was holding her back with one arm.

Blake looked at her foe. All she could know was that he was Human, but other than that, she couldn't make heads or tails. His entire body was covered head to toe in a strange outfit. She couldn't even tell what age this person was. It may as well have been a robot the way he dressed.

"Don't do this," he spoke. "You can still surrender."

"No," Blake hissed.

The Faunus retreated and he attacked this time. He kept only one hand on the broadsword that he was wielding, and from the way he was fighting, he wasn't trying to dominate, but probe at her defenses and see what exactly made her tick. His strikes were extremely controlled, predictable, and borderline robotic in their motion.

Blake attempted to expose a weak point only to see the Human intercept her strike long before it arrived. Before she could respond to herself being exposed, she felt a hand grab Gambol and redirect it so he could snap her hand in a single stroke. She cried out at the pain.

Shroud fell from her hand almost immediately following the sound of her wrist being broken. Her aura wasn't going to heal that in time. Even worse yet was he didn't stop there, opting to break her other wrist, resulting in another jolt of pain.

Blake fell to the ground, tears threatening to escape her eyes, but she wouldn't do it. She wouldn't be weak in front of the enemy. She was going to face her death with dignity and pride, not run away scared, broken, and useless.

She waited for something to happen to end the pain.

Nothing happened.

Blake lifted her head up to see why he hadn't killed her. He was a Human, and she was a Faunus. It would be a justifiable action in his eyes. Faunus were nothing more than animals to the Humans.

Instead, she saw a blank mask stare at her. He didn't move a single muscle as he continued to scrutinize her. She stared back at approximately where his eyes should be.

"Do it," Blake urged.

Again, silence reigned, but his hands began to move and Blake braced herself for the inevitable hold of her enemy. Instead, she heard only the sound of a hissing, and she opened her eyes again to see what had happened.

He had removed his mask from his face and in its place was a boy who couldn't possibly be any older than herself. His hair was very short compared to what she was use to seeing on guys, maybe a couple centimeters at most. There were no scars she could see, but if one considered that one eye looked robotic, maybe they would say that was a scar.

"Give me your hands," he spoke.

"What," she whimpered.

"Your hands," he repeated louder, but not forcefully.

What could he possibly want to do with her hands? They were broken as they were. Would he inflict more pain? Was he doing this to appear sympathetic? What was he going to do to make her feel better?

She shrunk back, and he regarded her with a curious eye.

"I won't hurt you," he said.

She snorted, gritting in pain. "You already have."

"I needed to make sure you wouldn't retaliate back," he reasoned.

He set down his weapons and kneeled to eye level.

"I fight not because I hate Faunus, but because it's for the greater good of all people, Human and Faunus. The White Fang would subjugate all of Humanity. I can't allow that."

"What would a Human know about true justice? All your kind knows is how to hurt my kind."

Blake flinched as she felt her wrists being grabbed, one hand warm and inviting while the other was cold, metallic in nature. It didn't take her long to realize why. She flinched as she felt him inspect her wounds.

Then his entire body began to glow, enough so that Blake had to squint to see just what he was doing. She then realized that her own body was lit up with her aura. Looking back and forth between the Human and herself, Blake frantically wondered just what he was doing. Aura transfer wasn't going to heal any wound like the ones she had instantly.

And by all logic, she felt her wounds begin to heal and then disappear completely. The hold he had on her wrists didn't hurt any more, just the physical presence was all she felt.

Both their auras ceased to glow.

Blake looked into the sapphire-blue eyes of the boy.

"...why?"

"You were no longer threatening me. There was no need to kill you."

His eyes spoke nothing but truth. There was no malice, no resentment, and no hatred of any sort. Just blind compassion.

From a Human.

She opened her mouth to respond.

Then she felt herself being roughly shoved aside; her mind began to think the boy had lied and she was prepared to fight again.

She grabbed Gambol and raised her weapon to attack.

Only to see Adam holding the boy in a chokehold. The Human tried to fight back, but Adam wouldn't let go.

Blake's mind kicked into gear again.

"Adam wait!"

She was too late to stop her mentor as he raised his katana Wilt and cleanly sliced off the Human boy's right hand.

There was only a short cry of pain.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Weiss Schnee was in a strange position: hiding with some sort of stealth technology in a rather obvious spot. In fact, it would be impossible not to spot her right out in the open of a very large SDC facility.

Why wasn't she able to be seen? She was holding a gadget that masked her physical presence undetectable to any eyes.

But she could still see very clearly, and she saw to her horror the boy who wanted to help her lose a hand.

She had to do something to help him, otherwise, he might die right here and now.

Easier said than done however. Weiss was exhausted after fighting an extended battle with the Faunus girl. Without Myrtenaster, she wasn't able to engage in bladed combat, and her aura was low. If she was going to attack again, she was only going to have one chance to do it.

Weiss began to focus on channeling all of the aura she could manage, forming it into a single ball of white energy in her hand. Her aura drained further from her own body as she gathered the energy.

Her eyes tracked the Faunus man as he raised his blade to attack again.

Now.

The Schnee heiress then placed a glyph directly underneath the two Faunus. The two White Fang members were forced to evade as the glyphs exploded into ice spikes. Still, they didn't get away completely unscathed as the ice exploded seconds later.

Weiss then ran over to quickly help the boy. He was in obvious pain as evident by his scrunched, but otherwise didn't make a sound. The wound was bleeding slightly, but not as much as it should have been.

"Save yourself." He struggled to one knee.

"What about you?" Just how bad was he willing to defend her?

"Victory at any cost," he wheezed.

Suicidal. That was the only word Weiss could use to describe her new companion, but that wouldn't stop her from trying to defend him.

Weiss then noticed something very strange. Her aura levels felt like they were stronger now. She looked down to see herself glowing. She then looked to him, and saw that he was glowing as well.

He was initiating an aura transfer and refilling her own aura. She couldn't accept this, not when he was in worse condition than herself.

"No," she shook her head. "You need aura more than me."

"I have enough aura." He concealed his stump. "You do not."

"How touching," the Faunus man sneered. "But enough of this."

The man advanced on the two forms collapsed on the floor and holding each other. The female Faunus, she looked indecisive about what the older man was doing. Weiss saw this, but her attention was back on the real threat.

"Any last words boy," he held the blade to the floor.

"No," Weiss heard the response.

"So be it." The masked Faunus raised his sword.

Weiss's first instinct was to create an ice dome around the two of them. The only sign that something was hitting the dome was the clink of metal against ice. Weiss let out a breath.

"Are you okay," Weiss asked.

"I'm alive," the blond responded.

That was a really stupid question to ask. Weiss chastised herself mentally. Of course he wasn't okay. He didn't have a right hand. Who would be happy about that?

"I'm so sorry for causing this," she apologized.

"It's not your fault," he said, "I'm simply doing what I thought was right."

"But why?"

"Because that's who I am."

Without warning, his head slumped down. She realized that he had passed out, likely from the physical trauma that he had sustained. The fact that he had remained conscious for so long like he had was amazing to her.

The sound of muffled weapon fire from outside made Weiss look around in confusion, still holding onto him so he didn't fall and get damaged further. He didn't move still. It sounded like something or someone was trying to push back against their attackers.

She didn't have to wait long before silence reigned all around her. Still, Weiss prepared herself for attack as she once again heard something attacking the protective dome.

A hole was punched courtesy of a green laser. The shape of the figure on the other side was female with how the body suit was form-fitting.

"Miss Schnee," a female voice called out. "I'm here to help. Is my partner okay?"

"Your partner?"

"I can't any more, but is he okay?"

"He lost a hand."

"Please let me in."

Weiss could tell that this person cared for the boy, so she reached out with her aura and shattered the front portion to allow the figure to grab and observe him.

"He'll be fine once he gets a prosthetic. Again, my thanks, Miss Schnee. Do you mind giving back the prototype stealth tech?"

Weiss handed it over.

"He help me," Weiss said. "Please send him my gratitude."

"I will be certain to do so."

"What about the White Fang?"

"They've been dispatched. The ones that aren't were forced to retreat."

With a flick of a switch, the two of them disappeared. Weiss stood up and surveyed the surrounding area. It looked like an intense gun battle had ensued here. Scars were everywhere in the facility. Dust was on the floor, some of it reacting to the gunfire and producing elemental results. It would take quite a bit of work to get this section into working shape again.

The sound of multiple footsteps approaching alerted her instantly, but she calmed at the sight of Atlas soldiers followed by her father.

"Weiss," he called out.

"Father," she smiled.

She may not like what her father did in her life, but right now, she could overlook their differences simply for the fact that he was familiar.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Jaune awoke to the sound of a soft beeping sound. He was in medical care.

He had fallen unconscious.

Between healing wounds, transferring aura, and sustaining the loss of his only remaining organic hand, he was lucky to be awake and not feeling exhaustion.

Jaune sat up in the bed, noticing that he had been put into regular clothes.

He then raised both arms, anticipating the sight that would soon be with him for a long time. His right hand was gone now too, replaced by a prosthetic hand similar to his left one.

Jaune tightened his fists. He had gotten an injury on his first mission. Was that good or bad?

His mind began to replay the mission in a series of quick flashes. Jaune was capable of retaining a great deal of memory, far more so than any normal Human.

He recalled the infiltration, the duel with Adam Taurus, pursuing Weiss Schnee, giving her the stealth tech. He remembered the Faunus girl, Blake Belladonna.

That girl, she was on the wrong side, but she wasn't lost. When he had healed her wounds, he'd also glimpsed a bit into her soul. What he saw was someone who wasn't sure what she was doing.

His thoughts were soon interrupted.

"Jaune," Penny's voice sounded.

She was at his side in seconds, embracing him tightly. Jaune eventually reciprocated the action.

"Hey," hey spoke finally.

She buried her face in his shoulder. "Don't ever do that again. You scared me."

"I'm sorry, Penny, but the mission takes priority."

"Have you no value for your life, Jaune?"

Did he have any value for his life. He liked to think that he did, because he wouldn't be alive right now. Why would Penny ask him such a strange question?

"How did the mission go?"

"Well all things considered, though I am concerned that with your face being seen that it will generate questions."

"Let them," Jaune dismissed. "The only proof there are is three witnesses, two White Fang, which the public won't trust, and Weiss Schnee, and nobody gives credibility to a child."

"Fair enough," she pulled away. "But there is something else?"

"And that is?"

"A message from an unknown source. I'm not sure what to make of it."

"Let me see it," Jaune motioned.

Penny pulled up her own display, tapping an icon that represented messages. Tapping into their shared message box, she began to do a playback.

"Greetings. I've seen your actions and I wish to extend a hand. My name is Ozpin…"

 **This is the final chapter before I skip ahead to a time closer to Beacon. I know it's what some of you have been waiting for.**

 **So I finally introduce Jaune to Blake. I've planned out how this relationship will play out, and it won't be easy, but I promise something good will come of it.**

 **The next chapter will advance into the future. Think of the next chapter as a sort of trailer for Jaune just beginning to enter his peak physical form.**

 **If you guys loved this chapter, leave it in a review. If you hated it, tell me why. Feedback, criticism, and ideas are appreciated.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and remember, exuberance is beauty.**

 **Peace!**


	16. Chapter 16: A Force is Coming

Chapter 16: A Force is Coming

 **Locations Classified**

 **Date Classified**

 **Time Classified**

 **5 years later…**

The sky was grey due to weapon predictions of a storm coming in. To make the predictions into fact, there was sound of thunder and the sight of lightning flashing.

Standing on top of the hill, Jaune watched the threatening storm clouds that would soon be touching down. His left hand rested on the hilt of Crocea Mors. His eyes were staring ahead, his focus not on a single thing.

His hand touched a control on his hologram projecting from his prosthetic arm. He tapped in a single command. The second the code was inputted, there was absolute silence all around him.

Jaune blinked, but remained still, his only movement being his fingers tapping against the hilt of his weapon.

He was waiting.

Then the silence was swatted down by the sound of multiple roars all around him, all of them crying out across the entirety of the forest that surrounded him.

Still, he didn't even so much as flinch.

More roars could be heard, but this time accompanied by the sound of rumbling. It was the sound of dozens coming towards him, all of them calling for his blood.

They were Grimm.

Jaune spun in place as he saw them coming up the hill that he stood on. His hand released Crocea Mors, both hands flexing. Still they came, so many all of them menacing. The first to see him and attack was a Ursa. It roared at him in challenge.

He charged forward, virtually invisible to the Grimm at his current speed. The sound of bones snapping was the only indication that there had been any physical confrontation. The Ursa was dead as Jaune dashed to the next set of Grimm.

A pack of Beowolves snarled at him. Jaune drew Crocea Mors and cycloned his way through the pack, dissecting them all in a single move. The wind he created scattered pieces here and there.

A king Taijitu surrounded him, both head hissing at him. Jaune's eyes darted to the two heads, his eyes intent on the black head. The head lunged for him, but Jaune simply held out a single hand to grab onto the deadly weapon that was a fang. Using the strength of his cybernetics, the blond soldier broke off the the sharp tooth before hurling it at the white head. The sound of flesh being penetrated followed.

His movements didn't stop as the black head still tried with its remaining fang to bite him. Jaune used minimal movement to sidestep before pushing Crocea Mors into the exposed eye on its left side. He then channeled his aura into his blade, causing it to flow into the head before backing away. The black head exploded into bits and pieces.

Two packs of Beowolves charged him. Jaune began to mumble a few words, barely a whisper. Crocea Mors began to glow with blue veins along the metal. With both hands on the hilt, he stabbed the heirloom into the ground. The blade then erupted as multiple blue aura energy waves collided with the two groups of Grimm. The intensity of the energy was enough to scatter them all like dust in the wind.

On instinct, Jaune threw an aura bubble shield around himself, feeling the impact of four Nevermore feathers above him.

 _Not even close._

The Nevermore soared over him, using its beak to try and break the barrier; the barrier fell, but not by the giant Grimm's attack, but by Jaune's beck and call. He followed up by latching onto the flying creature. Knowing that a Human was touching it, the Nevermore began to fly in wild arcs to shake him off.

It didn't work though, but Jaune dug his hands into the side of the Nevermore as he crawled to its neck. The Nevermore began to fly in a spiral maneuver. The effect was noticeable as Jaune felt his insides swirl a bit. Still he suffered from occasional bouts of upset stomach.

His aura worked to quell the desire the vomit while he grabbed Crocea Mors and made a clean slice into the neck. He then grabbed a grenade from his belt, shoved it into the wound before jumping off the Nevermore.

He was about halfway to the ground when he saw the head separate from the body in the ensuing explosion. His feet hit the ground with a loud band, his aura softening the landing enough to allow for no injury.

Any Grimm in the area that had witnessed his action against the Nevermore seemed hesitant to step up and try their luck. In fact, all of them slowly backed away from the Human and retreated into the woods.

Jaune payed them no mind; they weren't his goal, only distractions from the goal. He had more territory to cover.

His senses at their peak, he walked through the woods keeping his noise to a minimum in order to listen for anything else that might try to spring a surprise on him. Most Grimm were mindless, most being the key word. A Grimm able to survive enough engagements would grow in intelligence. Not only that, but they grew in strength and power.

And speaking of a nasty Grimm, there was Deathstalker about to pierce him from behind. Jaune brought up his sheathe shield to block the deadly-sharp weapon meant for his midsection. He then ducked under a jagged claw, doing a series of backflips to gain some distance. The Deathstalker charged, and he did the same.

With only a few meters of distance between each other, Jaune fell to his back and allowed both of their momentums to carry out as he held Crocea Mors straight up, causing a single slice to the unprotected belly of the Grimm.

The Deathstalker wouldn't give up just yet, still sending its stinger his way. Jaune quickly shifted to avoid again, slicing the stinger clean off. Again, the Grimm cried out in pain, but had yet to die.

Jaune replaced his blade into its sheathe before grabbing the severed stinger. Even with the cumbersome yellow tip, Jaune was able to gather enough strength and speed to use it as a makeshift battering ram that pierced the shell protecting it. This time, it gave a screech before collapsing into a messy pile.

Without another glance, he began to once again resume his travel through the woods. He still had yet to find his target. Calling upon his semblance, he began to find trace bits of aura left and see where his target was next.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Three hours and six minutes later, and still no sign of the target.

But there was still a very clear trail, that trail being the ashes of Grimm that had disintegrated. The ashes were easy to spot amongst the natural environment. Even if Jaune didn't have that as reference, he would use his semblance to pick up faint traces of what once was full of life.

It was strange to know that in spite of Grimm having no souls, no regret, and no mercy, they were still living things on some level. The fact that Grimm didn't normally have squabbles with regular animals showed it. With the exception of hunter-prey relationships, Grimm didn't make enemies out of normal animals.

This perplexed Jaune in many ways, because he knew that animals had souls themselves and even more astonishing was that they could possess aura just like a Faunus or Human. Yet despite the similarities both wildlife and Mankind, the Grimm attacked only Mankind.

Knowing this led Jaune to believe that perhaps the Grimm weren't quite as mindless as the general population of Remnant was led to believe. Perhaps they weren't simply wild ravage monstrosities acting without direction. Who's to say that there wasn't something far more sinister in these wilds that guided the Grimm? What did Mankind truly know about the Grimm other than how to kill them and the differences? What did anyone know of Grimm history, their origins, anything else linked to them?

Unfortunately, Jaune's opinions and realizations and thoughts carried little weight to anyone it would seem. The teenager was certain that he could know the meaning of life itself and nobody would care.

He was a soldier, bottom line. Protect Remnant and be the hero, just like in the stories except this was no story and there wasn't anyone but Penny to help him.

And that's why he should stick to the course.

Jaune's semblance instantly alerted him to another life signature, this one dead like the other Grimm, but more recent, like someone had just killed it. His eyes then turned to a peculiar mark on a tree. The marks weren't the work of coincidence or chance, but by someone's handiwork.

Jaune began to lighten his footsteps to be near-silent, looking around for another clue. His prey was near.

Then came the sound of a sword leaving its sheathe. Jaune narrowly missed being impaled from the back of his head. The blade of a sword buried itself into the tree that he was once looking at. His heartbeat had jumped for the slightest of moments before his eyes settled on his opponent.

Raven Branwen.

Jaune unsheathed Crocea Mors, but didn't charge at the huntress, opting to use the distance between them to circle her as she did to him. Neither of them took their eyes off the other. Jaune's blade glowed with raw blue aura energies while Raven had coated her blade with white dust.

The only sound that came from them was the slight shifting of boots against the forest ground. Jaune scanned Raven's aura levels to know that she was at full strength unsurprisingly. He was also watching for any signs of subtle attacks. She wasn't one to taunt with words, preferring to let her attacks speak for her.

Jaune's first instinct was to test the waters by sending an aura blade screeching towards her. Raven didn't even move away, instead, dispatching the aura with the slash of her own blade. The energy turned into particles.

He charged, deciding to take a risk with an offensive. He chose to kept his moves simplistic and intentionally with openings to see if she would respond to any of them. Raven's red eyes seemed more than just focused. She was always, and more often than not, she was scheming.

As he soon discovered, Raven did indeed have something in mind as she forced him into a less spacious section of the forest. Trees were more squeezed in and forced him to further restrict his movements. Raven's expression didn't change as she continued to hammer away at Jaune. Keeping the blade precariously close to his body, he could almost the metal against his body. A bit of adrenaline filled him when Raven's blade also fell into close proximity.

Jaune then called upon his aura and brought up a shield only in front of him. Because this aura shield was only focused in a certain area, it was stronger than a full body aura shield or a aura bubble shield.

Raven backed away from him, sheathing her blade, then retrieving a red blade from her rotary chamber.

"You cannot hide forever, Jaune," she deadpanned.

"It's not hiding," Jaune spoke. "It's called a tactical move."

She pointed the sword at him. "Depends on where you stand."

"Standing around isn't what I do," he gruffed.

Jaune all at one burst from the shield cover, going in with only his fists to attack. Because of his prosthetic hands, he could take hits that would otherwise cripple flesh. Raven slashed her blade to meet his prosthetic arm, both of them seeing just who could overpower the other. Jaune slowly began to push back.

She retreated and aimed for his right leg, to which he kneeled to catch her weapon with his right hand. He forcibly adjusted her blade so he could jab her in the abdomen. The hit was enough to get a pained reaction, but it wasn't enough for Raven to be incapacitated for long. She quickly used her semblance to teleport out of sight.

Jaune's head swerved around him trying to find her. Attaching Crocea Mors' blade and sheath to his back, he retrieved his rifle and began to point it around, his ears listening very carefully.

Eerie silence, that was all there was. No animals, no wind, no rustling of leaves, no sounds of water.

Jaune aimed into a cluster of leaves in a tree and fired at a spot that appeared to have no enemy, but the sound of her blade deflecting his shot alerted him to the exact location where Raven was. His semblance locked onto her aura and he gave chase to her.

She was incredibly nimble out here in the woods; this was her turf after all, and she was a master of concealment. She could just as well disappear again. To most, she would be impossible to find.

Jaune was not most.

He continued to fire at her, and she reflected shots back to him. He was far from frustrated as he chased her. Rather, he was trying to figure out her end game. Where was she taking him?

The answer came real quick as he found them at a large waterfall. It was tall enough that anyone without an aura could very well die from the fall. Jaune lost visual sight of Raven and skidded to a stop at the very edge of the clip. Another moment and he would've fallen.

Where was she?

A portal then appeared behind him, but rather than Raven appearing, only her blade struck, and Jaune blocked and parried back, very much aware that if he moved, he'd fall. Jaune launched a blast of aura through it.

He was unable to move to the sides as portals appeared on either side of him. He was trapped, with no way of knowing which portal she would attack. Jaune projected another bubble shield around him again, focusing every part of himself in searching for Raven's familiar presence.

 _Focus. Concentrate, let your instincts guide you._

The rush of the waterfall did wonders in making his mind more clear. The only thing that might make his day better was a tune or a song.

His eyes darted between the portals surrounding him on three sides.

Then he instinctively reached to his right, intercepting Raven's blade with his hand then diving head-first into the portal in front of him. He didn't even really think about this move, only doing it. Raven didn't bother to stop him or wasn't fast enough to stop him as he tackled her. The two of them would've hit the ground if not for the portals she'd left up. Instead, they tumbled through one of them and exited the other end, unexpectedly falling from the cliff and with the water.

As they descended, the two of them latched onto each other, but no blows were exchanged.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you," Jaune asked.

"Yes," her answer was.

She then detached from him and then opened another portal, using Jaune as a wall to propel herself into the portal. No doubt she'd already retreated back to the top of the cliff. Jaune would've been more worried if he didn't have a means to get himself out of this problem.

But he'd be a fool not to prepare for something like this, and most of the thanks had to go to Penny for giving him a few upgrades and additions.

Jaune held his palms out and from his hand came sustained jets of fire. His descent slowed down until he came to a stop just a meter before he would've hit the water with a hard landing. He then called upon his jets in his boots to help him as well.

He was still new to flying and he had only logged about 200 hours in flight simulations and practice. He still had a lot to work on in order to master this new ability of his. Still, he could use it with limited success.

He flew back to the top of the clip, stopping at the top, deactivating the propulsion in his hands, letting his boots do the work for him.

Raven was waiting expectantly for him. "It took you long enough."

"I fell down a cliff," Jaune remarked dryly.

"Excuses," she shook her head. "Never a good thing for an aspiring huntsman."

"You'll get no more from me," he affirmed.

He launched himself into her, letting his aura defend himself from her attacks. They fell to the ground once again. He kept his hold on her while grasping for her sword, not-so gently throwing it into the woods, all the while drawing Crocea Mors, the metal now against her neck, drawing a bit of blood.

"Concede," he demanded.

She regarded him for a moment.

Then she smiled. "Well-done."

He released her from the death hold and held a hand to her. She took it and stood up with him.

"You've clearly grown into your own abilities." Raven looked Jaune up and down. "And I can see that all your experiences have had an effect."

"Learn fast or die," Jaune shrugged. "That's what it's come to."

"Indeed." The huntress put her hands to her hips. "You've exceeded all of my expectations, but remember this is just the beginning."

"I understand," he nodded. "And my time at Beacon Academy will prove that."

"Also understand that I will be seeing you sparing during your years at Beacon." Her lips curled into a slight frown. "I am not the most welcome face at the school."

"Given your reputation, I would assume not. Regardless, the warning is most appreciated."

Raven wasn't one to feel much pride in the things that she did nor the "accomplishments" she had done. She had done a great deal of immoral things, nothing that any normal person would take pride in. If not for her strong will and her personality, she might've already given into guilt and shame.

Jaune was one of the few things she could feel proud about. She wasn't his only teacher, she knew this much, but she had a profound effect on his training. He had no mother so to speak, and so he turned to her has a mother figure. She trained him, taught him morals, gave him the freedom to interpret them how he wished. He was certainly in some ways like Raven, but she knew that he wasn't like her in many ways.

And she proud for that reason.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Are you certain this is the wisest course of action," Penny asked, her head tilted and her arms crossed. "You don't think someone will suspect?"

"Let the suspect," Jaune surmised, "I am close to adult age and when I am, no one will be able to tell me otherwise. General Ironwood has fully approved of this move and I intend to make use of it."

Penny grabbed his shoulders. "Don't discount that something bad could happen. You've grown, yes, but you're but one man."

Jaune regarded his partner with the rare sight of affection that he allowed only a select few to see, his eyes softening. Jaune hadn't been the only one to do some growing in a manner of speaking. Penny's physical body had yet been upgraded numerous times in the past five years and now she appeared to be a teengaer his age or close.

But more importantly, their bond as partners had grown in strength. The civilian population of Remnant was completely ignorant to a truth that Jaune and Penny were aware of: there was a war raging with the White Fang. Officially, they had been labelled as a violent group, but their threat had been dumbed down thanks to news propaganda. In that war, both the blond boy and the ginger girl had put their lives into each others' hands on more than one account.

The one thing that did concern her more than anything else was just how much Jaune was changing. He was still an idealist, and yet, he'd been forced to set that idealism aside for the sake of missions. He knew this fully well.

It seemed that each mission was proving that to him.

* * *

 _The White Fang had been tampering with dangerous technology meant to lure Grimm to the walls of Atlas. As the kingdom with the strongest military might, Atlas was the prime target of the Faunus terrorist group. Even with advanced technology, if enough Grimm were thrown into the fire, eventually that fire wouldn't be able to torch all of them._

 _The mission was clear: sabotage the device and thin out their ranks._

 _Jaune had purposely placed a target on the back of his head, drawing all the White Fang soldiers to him to buy Penny time to destroy the transmitter. He had insisted that he was more than capable against several dozen soldiers._

 _Penny stabbed another unsuspecting White Fang guard, sparing only a moment of pity before resuming her journey to the main storage facility where intelligence said the device was stored._

 _She heard muffled sounds from outside. It was automatic gunfire, not like Jaune's battle rifle. What was familiar was the sound of an aura explosion, and judging from the pitch of the sound, it was his own doing. There were no significant aura wielders on this base._

 _Penny rounded another corner to see two more in her way. They spotted her and fired on her. She brought out four of her blades and spun them in front of her, more than enough prevent the shots from ever reaching her. She then switched to laser mode and gutted the two of them in a couple of clean shots._

 _Stepping over the charring corpses, she once again followed the nav point she had placed. It shouldn't be too far now. Just a few hundred meters._

 _Another cry of pain from outside, but looking at Jaune's biosigns, he appeared fine. His aura levels were still in the green._

 _He was going to be fine._

 _He was going to be fine._

 _She passed by a large window that afforded her a view into the central courtyard, and it looked like a war was going on. Soldiers fired here and there, not hitting the intended target. Penny's robotic sensors isolated Jaune from everything and everyone. He was using calculated bursts of speed in favor of using his aura as a shield. At this rate, they White Fang would run out of ammunition before they had a chance to actually hit him._

 _He was going to be fine._

 _He was going to be fine._

 _Penny recovered from her trance and kept going. Jaune was depending upon her to get to the target._

 _She needed to stop checking up on Jaune and remember her place in the mission. Fretting wouldn't do any good. There was a reason he was chosen to be Arc-Angel._

 _Penny didn't take much longer to spot the door to the storage section. What made her hesitant to immediately approach it was the security measures put in place. The first thing the door needed was a password. The second thing needed was a voice recognition scanner. The third was a unique identification card. If even one was incorrect, the entire system would go on lockdown and they'd be delayed further._

 _Fortunately, Penny had all of the tools to properly supply what the door needed. She had hacked into the White Fang's systems to get a pass code. The code changed everyday, and today, it was "Hydra."_

 _The next thing to do was call upon her voice imitator and give the proper voice recognition. The second defensive measure was down as quickly as the first._

 _The final measure was the most simple to do. Penny pulled out a physical plastic identification card, slid it into the scanner. A beat passed before the system beeped positively._

 _The door opened, and Penny quickly stepped inside, and the sight greeting her causing her eyes to widen in surprise._

 _This wasn't just a storage facility for odds and ends. It was loaded with enough weapons to level a city. These weren't just small bombs. A few had the capacity for massive damage when put into clusters. The dust chain reaction would be the real kicker._

 _It wasn't enough to destroy the Grimm device. This place had to be destroyed, but these devices weren't meant to be detonated remotely. They had to activated immediately. She couldn't wire them to her own programming and detonate. She had to ensure that they be destroyed and make sure that nobody could salvage what was left._

" _Jaune," Penny keyed into her com, "Change of plan. We've got enough weapons to level cities. This entire base needs to be levelled."_

 _The only sound she could hear was the sound of battle from his end. He had heard her otherwise the com wouldn't be sounding at all. Four seconds passed before he responded to her initial message._

" _And you plan to use the Grimm device to prevent this place from being accessed again."_

 _It was amazing that he could discern Penny's plan before she'd even hinted at it._

" _Permission to put plan into motion."_

" _Do it, but hurry. White Fang reinforcements are here. The more time we spend here, the less chance you'll have to make the plan work." The sound of a neck cracking was the last thing she heard before he cut out._

 _Penny jogged over to the dormant Grimm summoning device, powering it up. It glowed with a crimson red, an appropriate color given its purpose. It wasn't difficult for her to learn the system and in moments, she had the device emitting a high-pitched whine that would be difficult to hear for most people without sensitive hearing._

 _Penny then accessed orbital imagery to see if any Grimm were converging on the base. And she wasn't disappointed as the images showed hordes of Grimm converging, enough to completely overrun this place._

 _Her job finished, the synthetic girl took off in a run to meet up with Jaune. When she was outside, she gritted her teeth to see some stolen Atlas military hardware currently in use to try and kill Jaune. Paladins were expensive pieces of hardware, and they weren't even public knowledge yet, but that didn't make them any less dangerous. And this time, it wasn't an AI but an actual pilot, who arguably was more creative and more unorthodox in how to use the hulking behemoth._

 _His aura levels were at forty-five percent and depleting faster than she'd seen before. She frowned at this. There wasn't anything here that should be depleting aura as fast as it was. Jaune was beyond fast enough to dodge any form of weapons. He was also not wasteful with aura. He had spent years learning to reduce use of aura and get the most out of the little increments that he did use._

 _The only reason why Jaune would be depleting aura so fast was if he was making heavy use of his semblance. He was more than capable of using his semblance to great effect and had practiced use in it; Jaune simply chose to hold back so as not to reveal all of his cards. One such powerful semblance ability he possessed was the ability to weaken lifeforms to the point where they were harmless._

 _Penny shattered the glass with a fist and jumped into the courtyard to meet with Jaune. As she converged on him, she looked around her to see what exactly had happened. When he said he'd be the distraction, he wasn't kidding. Casualties were high, and with his controlled nature, it didn't seem likely he used only aura and his weapons. It was more believable to say his semblance had been used._

 _Only experienced hunters or powerful hunters could hold a candle to this sort of death count. Fewer still could remain rather indifferent about killing so many. Jaune had numerous ways to kill someone, and it seemed that he'd done so in every way possible._

 _A few corpses were decapitated, some had bullet holes riddled in them. Several were impaled in places that were fatal. Yet more suffered from a grenade's explosion. Some had trace bits left of aura damage. Some of them appeared to have caved-in skulls. Missing limbs and other body parts were scattered around._

 _Even to Penny, it wasn't an easy sight to take in._

 _The synthetic girl brought out her blades and began to provide cover fire for Jaune. He didn't have to turn to see it was her._

" _You're late," Jaune spoke. "We need to go now."_

" _Agreed." Her fists thrusted forward to cut down three more. "We must go."_

 _His seeming unfazed by all of this around him, but his attention wasn't focused on her, but instead on the looming sound of Grimm crying all around them._

* * *

They never talked about what they did in the field, because there wasn't a need. That didn't mean Penny didn't worry. It wasn't normal for a person to kill in mass numbers and not even so much as blink. It was hypocritical as well seeing as she was responsible for just as much death as she was.

"And you're sure that applying to Beacon Academy will help?" Penny clenched his shoulders. "You do realize the risks if anyone discovers who you are."

"What's there to discover about someone who doesn't exist officially," he reasoned, "And if anyone was going to discover it, who would actually listen?"

Penny couldn't argue with his sound logic. He always did have to say when she asked questions about his plans. Moreover, if Jaune wanted to do something, he would do it and wouldn't let anyone or anything stop him from doing it.

"Then getting past that," Penny continued. "What do you hope to gain by going to Beacon Academy? You've learned far more as you've been doing now."

"I want more," Jaune exasperated. "We fight a war that has no apparent end. I've fought as a soldier, and I see no change. Hunters are more than warriors; they are respected figures, and being one might have something for me to use."

"You have a personal stake in it," Penny asserted. "You've had this desire since the day you came to Altas."

"Yes," he answered without hesitation. Jaune never was one to hesitate with the truth whether it was good or bad.

"And you think General Ironwood will approve?"

"He already has." Jaune pulled up a briefing document. "Yes, I do have a personal stake, but there are also benefits to serving in the military as an official huntsman. That would mean no more hiding. And by that time, I will be an adult, and no one will have a say."

Again, impeccable logic as always.

"Are you really sure that you want to do this, Jaune? You can still reconsider."

"A wise huntress once told me to consider every avenue possible even if the chances were small. I intend to do just that."

He was leaving out his personal reasons for doing something, because he believed that to admit he had a personal stake was in his mind to admit to selfishness. It was even more disconcerting that he insisted that she remain independent so he would still have a reliable person on the outside. She was his partner until the end. She hated the thought of abandoning him and leaving him.

"Why can't I help you," Penny demanded. "I've been there for you. Always. Why is this any different?"

"Because I need to do some soul searching, I believe the word is," Jaune bowed his head in shame. "And that means I need to go on alone. I feel that this is what is necessary."

Penny's next thing should've been to get angry at him, make him feel guilty about what he was doing, tell him he was wrong about himself. Say something, anything to keep him here with her. She needed Human interaction in her life and he was the only person she had to get that interaction. What would she do if anything happened to Jaune?

But she was also his friend, his best friend, his only friend. As that person, should it not also be her obligation to support him? Had he not done so much for her by just being there for her? If he truly did need to attempt this without her, then it wasn't her right to impede. His health was her concern, not her own wants.

She looked up to see his blue eyes. He looked to be on the verge of begging her not to get involved. That was a point she didn't want to see him reach.

She nodded mutely in reluctant approval. Her hands withdrew from his shoulders. Jaune reached for her right hand, and she looked the joined hands.

"I promise I will not neglect to stay in contact," he assured. "But I do need to deviate from the routine as much as it wastes time."

To the end, always thinking about his purpose.

Perhaps he did need to branch out much more.

* * *

 **I wrote this chapter thinking to myself it was clear, and I've considered how to write this thing over and over again. Now, I feel like something's wrong or missing. I just can't quite put my finger on it.**

 **This is the trailer for Jaune. Next chapter, we actually go to Beacon, with a bit of a prelude to show how he got accepted. And I just pulled an Iron Man. When I initially wrote about Jaune losing his left arm and his right hand, I didn't have hand repulsors in mind. Then I watched Iron Man 3 again for the first time in three years, and then it clicked in my head. So I thought, why not? Might as well give him another fancy tool. After all, Cinder gets to cheat with the fall maiden powers the same way.**

 **A final note, Jaune is no god. He's just a partly-cyborg Human with a lot of training and experience and cool tricks. Think of it like an experienced huntsman, not Superman.**

 **And speaking of superheroes, with Captain America Civil War coming up, I asked myself this question: could I make a RWBY team from Marvel characters. I'd like to think so, and that's why I put up a poll on my profile page that asks you about what four you'd put on a team. It's merely an idea right now and it's far from an actual story, but if you guys think I should write about it, then go vote if that's something for the future you want to see.**

 **Anyway, if you've got something to say about this chapter, review and tell me what your thoughts are. Good, bad, something else, I want to hear it, because I'm sure someone's going to point something out that I forgot. I just know it, especially since I didn't get around to beta-reading the chapter.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading, and remember, life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.**

 **Peace!**


	17. Chapter 17: Becoming Normal

Chapter 17: Becoming Normal

 **Admission Process…**

 _"Why am I here?" Jaune wasted no time in getting to the point._

 _Normally it was in Jaune's interest to actually retain a modicum of patience in conversation because more often than not, it would yield him useful information. Patience was a cornerstone to his being; without it, his missions would be a lot more difficult to execute and complete._

 _Today however, was the absolute breaking point for this particular issue. This had started all five years ago after his first mission. Somehow Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy had learned of the attack and somehow messaged Jaune. The blond dismissed it initially because it was not his concern._

 _The old man spoke of some things that Jaune himself did not care to see at the time because he had more pressing concerns at the time. Ozpin spoke in riddles and cryptically, and that led to Jaune making conclusions about what Ozpin wanted._

 _He had asked Ironwood about Ozpin, and the general said that the huntsman of Beacon was a trustworthy man, but it was ultimately up to him to respond or not._

 _So for five years, Jaune chose to ignore it, because it was not important enough to him. The war against the White Fang was more pressing to him._

 _But as he'd discussed with Penny, he realized just how much he had changed. Five years had seen much bloodshed for Jaune. Even Jaune couldn't recall just how many he'd killed in the name of war. It made him ashamed of himself. He was certain that if ordered to kill, he would do so without much hesitation._

 _Normal people didn't kill at all, and he'd killed thousands no doubt. It shouldn't matter so much if he killed or not. It was for a good cause. He was protecting the innocent, preventing harm from coming to them by ending the threat before it took root._

 _These reasons, they weren't enough._

 _And this was the reason he was here now._

 _"You are here," Ozpin sipped on his cup, never letting his eyes wander from Jaune's eyes, "Because you are far more than you realize."_

 _"You know who I am," Jaune stated, "Am I to assume you attained this information legally or by other means?"_

 _"I assure you that we both know General Ironwood," Ozpin explained, "He simply does not know of this offer...at least not until you tell him."_

 _That was one question down, but still many more were left unanswered._

 _"You said I am more than I realize," Jaune spoke. "Elaborate."_

 _Ozpin's stare remained. "Do you know how rare of a semblance you possess?"_

 _Jaune shook his head. "Then inform me."_

 _"For thousands of years, the animancy semblance has always been one of obscurity. It is difficult to explain because few witness it and fewer still unlock its true power." Ozpin stood up, his cane in hand. He he stood began to pace. "But there is one thing certain about the animancy semblance. There can only be one person alive using it. Attempts to replicate it have been less than successful and more often than not have ended with both the original wielder and the copied wielder dead."_

 _"I believe I understand." Jaune wasn't really certain what else was appropriate to say to those words. "Is there more?"_

 _Ozpin pushed his glasses further up his nose. "I am a man of practicality, but intuition tells me that this is not the result of mere coincidence. A larger hand is at play."_

 _Jaune's eyes continued to follow Ozpin as he paced. "My semblance may be the result of someone else's doing?"_

 _"More than your semblance," Ozpin replied, stopping to eye Jaune. "Perhaps your life even."_

 _"How is that possible?" Jaune found this explanation hard to believe without any real concrete evidence. "If there was another presence controlling my life, I would know."_

 _"Do you experience nightmares, Jaune? Perhaps do you see yourself, but you do not see yourself?" Ozpin blinked, and still remained stoic. "Or maybe you experience both?"_

 _How did he guess that, Jaune asked himself, Or did he already know what to ask? If that's the case, then has he known an animancer before me?_

 _"Nightmares are less frequent," Jaune replied calmly, "And everytime I see a dark reflection, I am able to fight it off thus far."_

 _"I see," Ozpin sat back down. "It would seem you have immense control over your powers."_

 _Jaune decided that now was the time to cut it out with the questions and actually discern just what Ozpin needed or wanted from him. The man was without a doubt alluding to something, but what that thing was still evaded Jaune._

 _"Why are you telling me these things?" Jaune leaned forward, his eyes making no mistake about his desire to know the reason for being here. "Why am I here, Professor Ozpin?"_

 _The silence that followed them was not one of uncertainty nor of discomfort. It was just silence, nothing more nothing less._

 _Ozpin closed his eyes, sighed, then opened them again. "I'm telling you this, Jaune Arc, because I believe that your life may be tied to that of Remnant's greatest enemy."_

 _Now Jaune was truly lost. "I am sorry?"_

 _"Do you ever wonder why it is that the Grimm have never truly been extinguished? Why they continue to roam our world?" Ozpin gestured to the nearby window. "Grimm are all but mindless and it takes many engagements for a Grimm to evolve intelligence. By that logic, wouldn't it be as simple as to expose this weakness and end the Grimm permanently?"_

 _"One would think so," Jaune nodded, "I can understand where someone might agree with that statement, but if it were that simple, then it would already be done."_

 _Ozpin nodded again. "You know this from experience as I can tell from your eyes. Knowing this, do you not question if there is perhaps a higher threat that commands the Grimm, that controls and directs them?"_

 _"Who would be able to do such a thing?" Jaune asked._

 _"You wouldn't have heard of her," Ozpin answered. "And she is currently out of our reach. And finding information regarding her plans is a delicate process of searching for a needle in a field of haystacks."_

 _"She," Jaune questioned, "You know her?"_

 _"That's not important right now," Ozpin dismissed the question rather quickly. "What is important is that you learn to hone your skill, learn to use all your power and learn to prevent her from possibly controlling it."_

 _"And why is it in my best interest to invest my efforts as you say," Jaune breathed a small breath. "I don't doubt you speak truth, but I do doubt the gravity of the situation that you speak of."_

 _"Surely you must know that what you do now isn't enough for you," Ozpin argued, "Fighting the White Fang in a war that has no visible end is surely frustrating to you. They are a problem, but I ask you to look at the more important picture. If we do not deal with the bigger threat, then nothing else will matter. All will be consumed by her."_

 _It would be easy to dismiss what Ozpin was saying, because Jaune had no reason to believe Ozpin because he was basing things off of his own experiences and maybe legends and rumors of old times. That wasn't enough for Jaune in most cases to be convinced. Evidence and facts were what was needed._

 _Yet at the same time, Jaune felt himself a hypocrite; how could he say that he didn't believe Ozpin when he knew very much that sometimes the most real things in the world are the things that can't be seen? Remnant held secrets and treasures of a past long forgotten by Humans and Faunus alike. Jaune had personally witnessed things that were beyond the scope of logic._

 _Was it truly hard to believe in Ozpin?_

 _Maybe it was time to stop being so rigid in how he regarded situations. Jaune was built to adapt to any situation and change in order to properly deal with what he was given. The war against the White Fang was taking more of a toll on his mental state than he cared to acknowledge. He'd fallen into yet another trap of weakness._

 _And Jaune despised weakness._

 _"What do you want me to do," Jaune sat back, "Or a better question would be what plan am I to be following?"_

 _Ozpin didn't comment on Jaune's choice, simply addressing it. "The first step is for you to become a huntsman. Even at your Nth degree, you won't be able to face the queen alone. You will require the aid of other huntsmen and huntresses in your endeavor."_

 _"Am I truly fit to be amongst them." Jaune's feeling of dread was now hitting him. "I am rather uncomfortable with civilians."_

 _"You are adaptable," Ozpin gestured to him, "You will find a way to get along with them. You may be surprised what you can learn from a more relaxed perspective."_

 _"Perhaps," Jaune muttered, "I will admit, I am still unsure about this choice I've made, but as warrior of Remnant, it is my sworn duty to stop all threats to the innocent."_

 _"Then do you accept my invitation to Beacon Academy as a huntsman in training, Jaune Arc?"_

 _"Your offer is noted and accepted by me, Professor Ozpin. I only have one question?"_

 _Ozpin raised an eye. "And that would be?"_

 _"I ask that any information pertaining to me be falsified so that my true identity cannot be traced. There are those who would use my past as justification to implicate those I serve. I ask that the transcript be the truthful though all the same."_

 _Take no chances, Jaune always had reminded himself of that._

 _"Done," Ozpin said. "You will still need to take the entrance exam, but this will be of little trouble to you no doubt. Apart from that, there is nothing else."_

 _Jaune stood up and held his right arm out. Ozpin took his metal hand and shook it with strength that was both surprising and unsurprising._

 _"I in turn have a question for you, Mister Arc," Ozpin said._

 _"Of course," Jaune approved._

 _"Do you intend to hide yourself?"_

 _"No. I'm not afraid to hide who I am from people. I am not a coward, and I will not hide the truth."_

 _"Then I pray that your faith in your fellow peers is placed well." Ozpin still held his hand. "Because they will play an important part."_

 _"All will be known in time," Jaune finalized, "All in time."_

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

That conversation had been almost a month ago, and two weeks before the mission that he and Penny had come from. In that time, Jaune had taken the required entrance exam and had passed with a perfect score. He was officially allowed entrance into Beacon. He was aware that there was initiation still to come, but he wasn't concerned.

If Grimm were the opponent, then he knew how to handle them.

The next thing to attend to was an outfit that would suit him as a student of Beacon, but this one was a far more difficult choice given that he wasn't one to care much for fashion sense. Jaune was utilitarian, and that applied pretty much to everything he did. Still, the seventeen-year old still admonished himself for bowing to the wishes of his partner so fast. Penny was one of the few that had his complete and utter trust not to mention his first and only friend.

Penny had spent the past month preparing Jaune's outfit that would represent him as a student of Beacon. It would have to be practical in addition to having a bit of flair. In short, it had to appear somewhat appealing while also not being too over the top.

In order to test his new look, Jaune walked out into the street on his way to Junior's bar. He wore a black coat with tails reaching below his knees. He still wore his propulsion boots because they didn't appear to be anything unusual according to Penny. He wore no gloves because it would impede the use of his hand propulsors. The coat sported a hood and Jaune was also wearing a helmet that he could call upon to protect his head on a whim. His belt sported only a few pouches; Crocea Mors, blade, shield, and rifle was strapped to his left side.

Jaune only got a few curious glances from people, but no one seemed to care enough to ask him questions.

The moment he entered Junior's place, Jaune's ears were filled with music, something he hadn't heard in quite some time. It was dance music, but it might have been the best sound he'd heard in a long time. Missions did lessen his time with music and his guitar.

The only thing he did was lean forward on the counter and graciously decline to drink anything. Junior was right next to him.

"You're here," Junior turned to face him, his face casual, "What's the big missions now?"

"Nothing," Jaune reported, "Just here to try and be normal, as my partner suggested."

"It looks to me you're dressing for something important," Junior gestured to his attire, "Like you're going to a huntsman academy."

"Beacon Academy," Jaune answered simply. "That's all I am willing to speak about."

"That's all I need to know, robot," Junior turned to his drink, "Though I never pegged you for one of them."

Jaune ignored Junior's title for him. He understood why such a label was placed on him, but it was one he disliked very much, though he didn't express this dislike, because ultimately, he didn't believe that the taller man would ever stop saying it. Also, it was a nickname, not an actual word that truly meant anything to him.

The blond crossed his arms as and turned his back to the counter. His cyborg eye began to scan the crowd, searching for any potential criminals in this place. Junior didn't possess clean hands by a long shot, but he provided valuable intelligence for Jaune, so that's why he allowed the place to remain. Still, hunting down criminals was a welcome distraction from the warzone. Plus, actually earning the lien was somehow more satisfying than simply having being given funds by General Ironwood.

Then his eyes fell upon a man in a white suit. The hat upon his head served to somehow obscure his face despite it being visible. Behind a pair of green eyes, Jaune could sense something dangerous, something mysterious, and something suspicious. Already he had a record pulled up of the man.

His files were filled to say the least. Some of these crimes were minor. Others were more large-scale. Still more were going into insane territory. This man was a top-notch criminal, one of the most wanted in Vale if his record was right.

Would it be alright to arrest him like this? Likely no, because this Roman had a weapon, and was likely to resist arrest here, which would result in collateral damage and an unhappy Junior, which Jaune would be fine without.

He simply put his hood on and bowed his head indicating to everyone that he wanted no one to approach him and say anything.

He did however used his enhanced hearing to listen in on the conversation between Roman and Junior.

"I've got a job to take care of, but I need the manpower. I'll even pay upfront."

Junior shook his head. "Not a good time, Roman. You might not know this, but eyes and ears are everywhere, even here."

Jaune felt the corner of his mouth lift ever-so slightly. He knew exactly who Junior was talking about. The man might not know about Jaune's allegiance to Atlas, but he knew he was on the side of the law.

"I'll pay upfront, no strings attached," Roman pressed. "I just need them for this one job. It'll take one night, no more."

"Didn't you hear me?" Junior narrowed his eyes at Roman, looking anything but pleased. "No can do. Too risky. The last thing I need are more loose ends to take care of."  
"You're not making this easy, Junior," Roman tapped his cane on the floor, "Would tomorrow be a better time?"

"Depends. You'll just have to come and see." Junior likely would've agreed if Jaune wasn't here. That was how much he cared. "I think you'd be better off if you left."

"Then I will. Take care, Junior." Roman gave a thoughtful expression.

The orange-haired man left and exited the club. Jaune watched him go with wary eyes, making sure that he'd gotten a complete 3D image of Roman and added it the dossier in the Atlas Military databanks. This scum might be worth something later.

It was then that Jaune's eyes fell onto something familiar and yet not familiar. She was dressed in a very exposed fashion, with her abdomen slightly exposed. A tan vest was her main covering along with a top that was very revealing. Her short sleeves looked very large, disproportionate to her body size, so they had to be puffed up. She wore very short shorts with a back skirt.

From her attire alone, Jaune could see someone who wasn't afraid of a lot of things and this girl was clearly not afraid to show off.

But her attire was what made her unfamiliar. What made her familiar was the very long golden hair that reached down almost the entire length of her body, her face, and her eyes. It was like someone had changed the eye color and the hair color to resemble someone he knew, someone close to him.

Raven.

But this wasn't Raven at all. Jaune knew Raven's presence when he felt it through his semblance. Reaching out to this girl, the boy could see too clearly that this wasn't Raven, but the shared looks couldn't be ignored.

Could the two of them possibly have a connection? Jaune pulled his mind back into sifting through memories of conversations about Raven and her old life. She didn't dwell too much on on it, but he did remember some things.

A former partner.

A birth daughter.

Jaune activated his scanner to confirm what he already suspected. The file showed the same girl with her full name being Yang Xiao Long, daughter of Taiyang Xiao Long and Raven Branwen.

Jaune didn't move from his position next to the bar, but he did take the hood off of his head and lift his head up to know that he didn't mind idle chatter to some degree. He remained still as a statue, arms crossed, but his eyes carefully trailed Yang. What was this girl doing here.

Junior wasn't too far away from him, and Yang found a place in between them.

"Strawberry sunrise, no ice." Yang smiled politely.

So far, nothing interesting had happened, but Jaune wasn't holding his breath. This girl wanted something, or someone.

Junior tossed an eye to Jaune, and the boy got the hint and moved to intercept Yang before she got to anyone else.  
"You must be looking for someone," Jaune spoke just loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyes caught onto him. "What makes you think that?"

"I have my ways of knowing," Jaune replied, "So who are you looking for?"

"Just someone," Yang smirked, "And what about you?"

If Jaune was any other person, he might rise up to the hinted sexual innuendo. He might register Yang's words as suggestive and perhaps try to bite off more.

There was just a couple of things: Jaune was completely ignorant when it came to sexual suggestions and took most things literally.

"I'm simply here," Jaune looked at the ground, "But I've nothing to do, so I might be able to help you if you can tell me who you are searching for."

"Trying to win a favor from me," she scooted closer to him. "And we've already just met."

"I ask no favors," Jaune replied, "It is merely my good act of the day."

His words only encouraged Yang to become more intrigued. "A good act of the day? So you do immoral things?"

Jaune quickly turned the tables. "Doesn't everyone do something immoral at one point or another in life?"

"Touche," Yang conceded. "So about that person I was looking for…"

Yang pulled out her scroll and Jaune watched with a carefully controlled face as she pulled up a picture of who she was looking for. And there was, Raven in a fighting stance taking down some criminals. How Yang got this picture, he didn't know, but now he had a decision to make.

He could pass it off like he didn't know but he could help her. That way, he'd avoid an overly long involvement with Yang. He could provide her with help and leave it at that. It would be a more straightforward arrangement.

If he did say he knew Raven, this could spark a very unpredictable reaction from the blonde girl. He didn't know her that well, and given that much info, he could not' assume any reaction.

Jaune contemplated his options only for a few more moments. He wasn't a liar by any measure and if he had to guess, Yang was probably a decent fighter, and perhaps being in her good graces could be beneficial in the future.

So he stared at the picture only for a moment. "You are looking for the huntress Raven Branwen."

Yang's reaction was hopeful and excited. "So you can help me?!"

"If you want to know where she is now, I couldn't say. She's been rather busy as of late and I cannot always follow her every movement, and yet she follows my every movement."

"Wait what," Yang's face scrunched up at his words. "She stalks you?"

"Um...no," Jaune felt unsure about that word. He wasn't sure what conclusion Yang had been led to. "She and I have a past relationship and that gives her enough reason to always have her eyes on me."

It wasn't a lie at all, but Jaune wasn't ready to reveal the full extent of his relationship with Raven. That was for the black-haired huntress to decide if Yang was worthy enough to know of her whereabouts.

"Typical," Yang muttered, "Cares about everyone else except the people that matter the most."

"I'm sorry?" Jaune heard the words, but he an explanation wouldn't hurt.

"Nothing. I didn't catch you name, miss…" Jaune drew out his words in order for her to respond properly.

"Yang Xiao Long." The girl was positively beaming with her hand, like it was the greatest thing to her character. "And what about you, tall, pale, and striking?"

...why was Yang describing the way he looked? Jaune shrugged off the question mentally. He would think about that later.

"My name is… Jaune Arc." The blond soldier stuck out his right hand. Yang eyed this metal appendage before shaking it. Jaune noted that she carried more strength than her stature would imply. He had already noticed the concealed shotgun gauntlets on her hands. She had to be a person who fought with her fists more than anything.

If Yang wanted to ask questions about his prosthetic, she did well to hide them, something Jaune was grateful for.

"So anything you care to share, metal man?" Yang leaned on the counter. "Any help would be appreciated, especially from such a compelling person."

...she thought he was compelling? That was a first time.

Jaune shook his head. "Not right now. Give me a few days, and I might be able to."

"A few days?" Yang tilted her head in wonder. "You got something more important than me?"

This girl was extremely confusing? Why would he consider her important? No offense to her, but he had just met her. Regardless, he pushed forward with the conversation.

"I have been accepted into Beacon Academy," Jaune said. "That takes precedent over everything else."

"That's awesome!" Yang's grin became wider. "So am I! We can be bestest friends and all that!"

 _Bestest isn't a word,_ Jaune thought. _Does she know this?_

This girl was persistent in finding her mother, and Jaune couldn't blame her in one way. Mothers were suppose to be the most bound to their children. It was only natural that a child was strongly attached to this bond. Still, there was the other side of Jaune, the person that said it shouldn't matter because said mother wasn't a part of their life. Why did the child care? Jaune couldn't say he had any love for his biological family. He had more love for Raven, Penny, Ironwood, and Jennings than any blood family.

It was the truth, and Jaune felt no regret over it.

"Oi! You there!" Yang waved a hand in front of him.

Jaune blinked before turning his head to see her. She carried a look of confusion. He must've been drifting off.

"Apologies. I am distracted."

"Oh?" It was then Jaune realized that she was precariously close to him. "By what?"

It was then that Jaune felt another trained skill kicking in. Raven had been adamant about the fact that one day, Jaune would have to deal with men and women in his travels even if minimal. When it came to certain people, they were willing to do many things to get what they wanted.

Raven had explained that especially women might try to sway him with good looks or seducing expressions or flaunting their bodies. She had even put Jaune in some of those situations where he had to fight off instinct in order to stay focused. Those experiences were in many ways more challenging than fighting with a sword, a shield, and a gun.

Jaune slowly moved away from Yang. "Personal matters, and the fact that you are rather close to me."

"So I am." Her voice, it sounded so… "Don't worry, I don't bite."

...again with the confusing terminology. Why would she bite him? Was this part of seduction?

Jaune this time felt the need to carefully put a hand between them and push her away from his body. He kept calm while doing so, not needing to give Yang a reason to think he was afraid of her.

"Please do not touch me," he warned, "People who get too close to me might wish they hadn't."

"Playing hard to get?" Yang folded her arms under her rather sizeable breasts. Somehow Jaune got the feeling that was suppose to mean something.

"Perhaps I should leave this conversation," Jaune moved for the exit. He half-expected the blonde-haired girl to follow him.

And she did. "Come on, don't be such a stick in the mud. I was just playing around. No need to be serious about it."

"Then it would be most appreciated if you stopped trying to...entice me." That was about the best way he could describe what she was trying to do.

"Okay then, robot-man," Yang drawled. "Jeez, what's your deal?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself over," he said exasperatingly, "Was there anything else?"

"If we're going to be friends," Yang pointed to both of them, "Then WE need to get to know each other."

Very true indeed. Friends weren't friends unless they knew about each other. Jaune knew this perhaps better than most people. Friendship was a sacred and critical thing for him, and for Jaune, a friendship was absolute in every sense. Trust, loyalty, and acceptance.

Plus he doubted that Yang would let him get away easily. Maybe she wasn't exactly his kind of person, but given enough time, he would get use to her.

 _If Raven's watching,_ Jaune mulled, _She must be laughing._

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

That was about several weeks ago.

Now, he stood on a bullhead on his way to Beacon Academy, the place where some of the most prominent names in recent history came from. Jaune hoped to do this place proud as much as possible. Penny had told him that his skill level was above and beyond pretty much everyone here due to his field experience and intense training being worth more than what was taught in a classroom. Jaune hoped that was the case, but he would reserve judgement.

If classes were indeed below his skill level, then Jaune would have to hold back immensely. If there was one thing Jaune didn't want, it was drawing attention to himself when it wasn't necessary. That would require him to learn as many of the students as possible. That would take time, time that wasn't always available.

There was also the fact that Jaune had to have teammates. That was what mattered to him most importantly. These three other students would not only be his teammates, but quite possibly potential friends. Jaune felt himself open to the idea of more friends.

The questions now, who was available for teammates? Was the ability to choose teammates within the rules that Ozpin would decree?

All questions that he was certain that everyone was asking. There certainly were many prospective students here.

The thing that he noted more than anything else was the fact that there were people he knew about by reputation and others simply because he'd known their presence with his trained ability to detect distinctive aura signatures.

Weiss Schnee, of course he remembered her. His first mission five years ago have been saving her from the White Fang. It was surprising to see an heiress here. What had possessed the girl to come here and learn to be a huntress? Jaune could run a number of scenarios in his head as to why.

Then there was the Faunus girl, Blake Belladonna. She hid her Faunus features under a very clever contraption: a bow that could be passed off as natural attire for the girl. Her nose was in a book, again surprising considering her past. Books were more for those who dreamed, not for those of actions. If the girl wanted to turn a new leaf, then coming here was a step in the right direction.

There was Yang of course. How could he forget her? Her nature demanded more or less that his attention not ever waiver from her. She wasn't a person that could do evil, he knew this, but she was mischievous, and Jaune didn't wish to be caught off guard by her in any way. She was a wild card, unpredictable in nature.

Then he was introduced to Yang's younger sister, Ruby Rose, related partially due to having the same father. This girl was timid and shy, things that Jaune found dangerous at Beacon. This was no place to be indecisive. Lives hung in the balance. That being said, she was fifteen years old, two years younger than the age of admittance to Beacon Academy. That meant Ozpin had overseen her admittance. This girl must be skilled. The most distinctive thing he saw were silver eyes. There was a legend about those with silver eyes.

There was the spartan girl standing relatively alone. Her name was Pyrrha Nikos, a four time Mistral Tournament champion, a top graduate from Sanctum Academy, and a mascot for a food product. Those facts didn't interest Jaune really. From his subtle glances at her, he saw that she had fans and admirers, but no friends. Was this intentional, or was there a greater reason that he didn't know of?  
Then there was a strange pair, a short girl with ginger hair and turquoise eye colors. She seemed filled with boundless energy as she danced around a boy. He had black hair with a single lock of magenta hair. His eyes were magenta as well. He kept a calm and steady attitude in the face of a chaotic girl. Jaune felt respect towards this boy.

Apart from them, there was this boy that stood tall with heavy armor and a mace. He had blue eyes and dark orange hair. He seemed something of an overconfident person with the unnatural grin on his face. It was as if he was fulfilling a dream that was entitled to him. Jaune didn't make any judgements yet.

Jaune had bumped shoulders with a shorter boy sporting a mohawk which served absolutely no purpose. If anything, the blond soldier would chide such a display, calling it a waste. Beacon was a place of warriors, not looks. Daggers were this one's choice of weapons, so a decent blade combatant had to be assumed.

The final students he noticed were two more boys of similar height talking to each other. One looked to have squinted eyes or small eyes while the other carried this look that Jaune associated with dangerous or trickery.

"Jaune," Yang called out. "Stop spacing out!"

His eyes turned back to Yang. How was it she could be so happy all the time?

* * *

 **Well, no real introductions between teammates yet, but we'll get to that next chapter.**

 **I've also introduced the first of Jaune's conflicts. It won't be his last one either. Jaune will have his times of weakness because for everything he is, there are things he isn't. Sometimes, those weaknesses don't even have to be as a warrior.**

 **Because the stakes of this story have been raised considerably in my eyes, I believe that it's time to get a beta-reader for this story. It's important that I do this because I need a second eye that will give me a critical analysis of what I've done with the story thus far. This story is one I invest a great deal of thought in. So if you'd like to be that beta-reader, you can send me a PM or leave in a review.**

 **For those interested in a story based on the MCU, go to my profile page and vote for your favorite four-person RWBY team. I feel sad that Ant-Man ain't getting a lot of votes.**

 **And speaking of reviews, let me guys know what you thought about this chapter. Good, bad, meh, awesome, I wanna know about it. Call me out on grammar issues wherever you seen them, because I deserve it.**

 **Thanks for nearly 49,000 view! That is a lot of viewers! I hoped you enjoyed reading and remember, today a reader, tomorrow a leader.**

 **Peace out!**

 **www . . com (slash) Ktyou**


	18. Chapter 18: Search and Recruit

**Beta-reader: Blackhawksniper**

Chapter 18: Search and Recruit

 **Beacon Academy…**

Beacon Academy in a single word?

Imposing.

Jaune Arc wasn't one to be easily impressed as five years of seeing Remnant had trained his worldly views to be very broad. He had seen virtually all forms of structures built by the kingdoms, some a waste of space, others utilitarian in purpose, and still others with unnecessary flamboyance. Beacon Academy served to be visually appealing while also serving to make an unsaid statement: this academy trains the best so do not disrespect it unless you have something on par with our students.

Even in his new combat attire and Crocea Mors, the indestructible sword and shield along with his collapsible rifle, Jaune remained extremely at-attention. Now would be an opportune time for any would-be attackers to take out large scores of potentially powerful warriors. Whether or not they were powerful now, the teenagers now entering Beacon Academy grounds had potential.

Jaune took note of the large boy in armor with burnt orange hair looking like he was making another student uncomfortable. It made the blond soldier more than unimpressed, irritated even. There appeared to be no form of prior reason or justification for this act of harassment. What had this boy to gain by antagonizing his fellow peer?

Such a waste of energy.

His attention wasn't on the bully for long before Yang and Ruby pulled him forward. They were an unusual sibling pair, but the bond between them was robust. Even if they contrasted, he understood why it worked. Penny was his polar opposite: energetic, unnaturally happy, and emotional.

"Jaune!" A gloved hand grabbed his shoulder. "Stop spacing out!"

Why did Yang have to be some obnoxiously loud and in his space? Penny may be somewhat like Yang, but Penny respected his space and knew when to give it to him. Yang was intent on trying to get a reaction from him. Not that Jaune would let her have it. Only Raven had ever been ever been able to snap him from his usually calm and neutral mood, and that was with a lot of effort on the huntress's part. But what was that saying? Like father, like son? Like mother, like daughter? Could that mean Yang still had the potential just like Raven.

Jaune cursed under his breath. "I can walk myself to the door just fine, Yang."

"No you can't," Yang argued, "You weren't even paying attention to what me and Ruby were saying."

"Ruby and I," Jaune corrected.

"Oh so you're a grammar geek now?" Yang crossed her arms. "Lame."

Jaune stared blankly at Yang, who looked unhappy that she didn't get any sort of indication that he cared about what she said about him. She had assumed too quickly that he was susceptible to such trivial comments. She scowled, and he remained impassive to that too. That only served to rile her up.

"Dude, what the heck?" Yang looked angry. "Are you immune to words?"

"No," Jaune replied. "But you are hardly using words that make me desire to use my emotions."

"Again with the fancy talk," Yang griped. "Can't you talk normally?"

"No," Jaune repeated.

"And can you stop saying no?"

"No." It was a serious answer, and it only served to confuse him further when Yang seemed put off by his response.

"Smartass," Yang grumbled quietly.

He didn't understand the blonde at all.

"And you two have only been friends for what, a few weeks?" Ruby giggled at their pointless arguing. "Seems like a lot longer."

"What can I say?" Yang looped an arm around Jaune. "I just have the magic touch."

Jaune didn't respond to Yang's presence nor Ruby's comment. His head simply looked to both the girls. For what seemed like the first time in a normal conversation, Jaune understood Ruby's comment perfectly. The little girl seemed to have more in her than what was apparent at the surface. It had occurred to Jaune that Ruby hadn't yet pointed out a single negative thing about himself. She had complimented him, fawned over his arsenal, and been an overall welcome presence. It was as if she was always looking for the bright side of things.

To some, it might be considered foolhardy. Jaune felt his more rational side lean towards that way of viewing Ruby. Optimism was often disappointed when faced with the real threats of the world. The world promised nothing to anyone, and the sad truth was that virtually all people on Remnant lived in ignorance, and ignorance was bliss as General Ironwood had once said. Jaune agree wholeheartedly with the man.

The White Fang, the Grimm, gangs, and these were just the most obvious forms of problem on Remnant.

But again, Jaune had to remind himself of one thing: he was here to relearn himself, his own humanity. Was that not reason enough to consider himself hopeful? It would be more straightforward to not become a huntsman. Jaune was at the age to enlist officially with the Atlas military. In accordance with that logic, he had no reason to be here and he should've gracefully declined Ozpin's extension of invitation.

At least General Ironwood and Major Jennings would suggest he do that.

Contact with his superiors remained constant for the most part. Jaune still had yet to inform Ironwood of the decision to come to Beacon Academy, but that didn't mean that the general wasn't aware. He could already know and was merely waiting for Jaune's reasons to do so. Whether or not the general was going to approve or disapprove remained to be seen. He leaned more towards the latter.

Jaune was digressing; he had to concede that he was hopeful, though not nearly to the extent as that or Ruby Rose. He now knew something Ruby was better at than he was. Now the question was should he confide in her about it?

Perhaps at a later time, Jaune looked to his two companions. When there are less ears about.

"Anyway," Jaune drawled, separating from Yang, "I suppose we should be going to the auditorium."

"We still got a few minutes," Yang said, "We should find some new friends. Get to know some people while we can."

"Why do we need to meet new people," Ruby whined vehemently, "We're here to fight, not hold hands."

"We're going to have teams, Ruby," Yang argued back, "You can't avoid meeting new people."

"I've got you and Jaune," Ruby pointed to the blonde boy whose arms were crossed as he listened to their debate. "What more do I need?"

"Okay, first, Jaune's my friend." Yang threw back at the younger sister, "You don't call him a friend until you know something about him, which you don't."

It was an argument that was both annoying but also very much important. They were children trying to argue a very important subject. Yang was more mature than Ruby, though that wasn't saying much considering that Yang was extremely open about what she felt. Jaune wasn't even sure if either girl had any sort of discipline whatsoever. It felt like they'd never had to take anything extremely seriously.

A pity that they would have to find out the hard way.

And that was quite enough of their arguing. There were far more important things to be going to right now.

Such as Professor Ozpin's initial speech.

Jaune grabbed the two of them by their arms and began to drag the both of them. Both of them protested unsurprisingly, though Ruby didn't have the strength to break his grip and he made sure to tighten his grip on Yang's hands so she wouldn't try to escape.

"Dude," Yang growled, "Your metal hands aren't exactly gentle."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed quickly, "Please, Jaune. Let us go."

"When we reach the auditorium, I will do so." Jaune closed off any further argument. "Stop fidgeting until then."

Neither of them did stop at his words; it only took a few continued acts of defiance and an extra-tight grip to get them to cease their resisting. He did get a few odd looks from everyone around him, though Jaune might as well have thought them non-existent as he passed by without giving anyone a look.

When they finally did reach the auditorium, he released them as promised, to which sisters were grateful. Finding a spot to stand wasn't at all troublesome.

All around them was much diversity in the aspiring students. Even more strange was the fact that there were this many people in a single place and they were not slaughtering each other. A group this big usually constituted as a company of troopers. A bit of division and there would be several platoons.

Jaune closed his eyes to drain his mind of these thoughts. This was no military complex and this was no army. These children right here were soft, unhoned, and undisciplined with a possible few exceptions. There would be no mistaking that he would have to feign his own skills in order to blend in. Making it look convincing was going to be the real challenging part. There was bound to be a few students who were observant. Intelligence wasn't lacking when it came to who Ozpin admitted to Beacon.

It was then that he felt someone bump him, and this prompted him to turn to the person in question.

It was Weiss Schnee.

His first instinct was to address her as a Schnee because her name carried great value in all of the four kingdoms. Dust was so intrinsic in the lives of virtually everyone that it was hard to find someone who wasn't aware of the Schnee Dust Company. For Jaune, the SDC was basic dust knowledge. It seemed only proper to give the heiress a proper civil greeting, to acknowledge her in a way that would gain her respect if nothing else.

But yet came another speedy thought. He was here to learn how to be human again. In order to do that, he had to hide who he was from everyone else so they didn't grill him for details of his life that he'd rather not speak of. If word got out about him, the Atlas Council would face some heavy flak from the remaining three kingdoms without question, but undeniably, Jaune would be the center of attention.

Applying that same logic of his reasons for being here, Jaune considered who Weiss Schnee was. In her own right, she was a celebrity, borderline goddess. That meant she had to receive a lot of publicity wherever she went. That didn't leave room for personal relationships, and that meant she was going on in life without many people to call friends if that was the case.

And Jaune had few friends either.

So maybe it was time to consider an approach that was polite, but also masking who he was to her, at least for now.

"Apologies," Jaune immediately moved to apologize, "I did not notice you there."

The shorter girl looked to him, first with a glare, then a neutral expression, then a scrutinizing one. Did she know who he was? Did she remember?

"Have we met before," Weiss asked. "I feel like I know you somewhere."

Before Jaune could respond, there was the sound of a hand tapping a microphone, and all eyes turned front and center to Professor Ozpin as he addressed everyone in the auditorium.

"I'll get straight to the point." Ozpin looked to no one in particular. "All of you have come here for different reasons. Some for personal improvement, others for the good of others, and still more that are undecided. Regardless of your reasons, you have all been accepted to Beacon Academy as the best of the best."

So far, so optimistic.

"That is not the only thing I see. I also see reckless expenditure of intelligence, training, and power. You come here with the intent to better yourselves, but you will learn that all the best traits in the world are not enough to truly excel."

Better. Realistic. They were only words, but they were truthful words.

"You are not here to know everything. So the question you should all be asking yourselves is this: what is worth knowing about? When you know the answer to this question, know that this is only a single step in journey of a thousand. And also know that the same question can be answered in numerous ways. Your ways."

Ozpin stepped away and the woman, Glynda Goodwitch, Jaune recalled her name, stepped forward.

"All of you will stay in the ballroom for tonight." Her tone was serious, but less severe than that of the headmaster. "Tomorrow is the initiation. Prepare yourselves well. Dismissed."

"That was weird," Ruby commented, "It's like he was somewhere else."

"Or maybe he was just being truthful," Jaune muttered.

"Anyway," Yang looked to her fellow blonde. "I see that you're already scoring with the ladies."

Jaune frowned at this. "I'm sorry?"

"She means me," Weiss huffed. "And no, we were just discussing things like civilized people. And my name is Weiss Schnee by the way."

"Jaune Arc," the boy replied crisply. "A pleasure to see you again, Ms. Schnee."

"Again?" Weiss's eyes perked up.

"Victory at any cost," Jaune whispered to her, "No matter what."

Those were his last words to her before he found himself being dragged by Yang, and this time, he let her take the lead, even if her grip was suppose to be tight on his hands just like his was earlier.

Prosthetics didn't register pain though, so no harm done.

(X)(X)(X(X)

The dinner in the cafeteria was quite the experience for Jaune. The food was so unlike the tasteless sludge that he was so use to eating. His taste buds were positively lit up with sensations that he didn't even know that he had. If he wasn't careful, simply eating civilian food could become quite the addiction for him.

Because he wanted to diversify his potential pool of friends, Jaune parted ways with Ruby and Yang in the hopes of seeking out new people to get to know. This led him to carrying his tray across the room, looking at each table to assess if there was anyone that caught his eye.

His eyes found himself staring at two students sitting together, but alone with each other. The boy had black hair, which looked somewhat messy. One pink lock of hair adorned the side that matched his magenta eyes. The immediate sense from Jaune was that this boy was calm and collected. That look was one Jaune saw in himself.

The girl was quite the opposite of her companion. She was shorter than him, but her energy had to eclipse his by magnitudes. She had great big green eyes with ginger-colored hair. She was positively smiling all across. That and she was doing all of the talking. She reminded him so much of Penny. That was enough reason to go over and see what to make of the two of them.

"Is this seat taken?" Jaune asked.

"You can sit there," the boy gestured, "I don't mind. Nora?"

"Of course not, Ren," the girl exclaimed, "I'm Nora Valkyrie, and this is my life-long friend, Lie Ren! Do you like pancakes?!"

"Pancakes?" What in the world was that.

"Wait," Nora looked shocked, "You don't know what pancakes are? You're joking right?"

Jaune shook his head.

"You're not joking," Nora looked appalled now, "Well have no fear! I will show you what you've been missing!"

"Nora," the boy called Ren called out, "I don't think-"

"It's fine," Jaune assured, "I am always eager to experience new things."

This spurred the girl on; she began to partly empty her overfilled plate of the food that Jaune deduced was pancakes. How she was able to eat so much in one sitting and retain was quite the mystery. The stack of pancakes soon became the only thing visible on his tray. Forget about his meager choice of a few fruits and some oatmeal. Nevertheless, he began to take small bites, his taste buds responding with much positivism.

"You'll have to forgive Nora," Ren jumped into the conversation, "She can be rather impetuous."

"It's not the worst quality in the world," Jaune shrugged, "But I can see you concerns. By the way, I'm Jaune Arc. It's nice to meet the both of you."

"A pleasure to meet you two, Jaune," Ren nodded, "You look like you've seen a lot of things in your life."

"What makes you say that?" All the while, Jaune made a mental note to keep an eye on Ren.

"That look in your eyes." The green-clad student nodded his head. "I know that look. It speaks of experience. That calm look doesn't come from trivial experiences."

Jaune already liked and dislike Ren. He was a smart person, almost too much for his own. It was that sort observance that could get him in trouble; what likely was keeping him alive was that he wasn't a vocal person. He wasn't pressing for details about those experiences that he thought Jaune had. So maybe it wasn't a good idea to have him on a team.

"I could say the same for you," Jaune responded in kind, "Though I think I can guess why."

Both boys turned their heads to look at Nora as she consumed food at an unnatural and almost frightening rate.

"You learn to take it in strides." Ren wasn't moved by this display.

Neither was Jaune. "Some more than others."

It was never his intention to spot her nor to make eye contact as long as he did, but he saw that girl, Blake Belladonna. She was all alone, and reading her own books, perhaps her only best friend as of right now.

When she saw him, her eyes held his own. It was like she was silently commanding him to not even try and establish a connection. And she was right to be a bit forceful in that regards. Healing injuries had a way of letting Jaune into souls, heedless if it was wanted or not.

But Jaune was a person with secrets too, so he understood her reasons for keeping to herself. He wouldn't spill her origins, not unless he was given a compelling reason to.

While she forced his attention, he too gave her a very deadly eye. There was no telling if anything about himself had been known to her. Even if she hadn't gotten anything from their brief connection, she knew enough to make people question who he was. That wasn't what part of the formula.

Few noticed the silent uneasy truce between the two of them.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

After adding extra security to his assigned locker to make sure that no one would dare to thieve from his belongings. The only thing he had was a sleeping bag. He had long since abandoned a separate scroll and integrated a scroll programming into his on-board prosthetic systems. Holograms were better technology than screens anyway.

He wasn't the first to set up in the auditorium, but he did have far more choices in terms of where he wished to position himself, which was a secluded section that afforded him a view of the entire ballroom. He wanted to make sure that he wouldn't be caught off guard by anything. Now would be a good time for a killer to come in and pick off the students.

The one thing that came to mind was that the boys seemed intent on taking off their shirts and making a point of flexing their muscles for seemingly no reason. In addition, they took part in wrestling matches and mock-fights. This silently made Jaune shake his head in disappointment. If they were going to fight, it was be to their advantage to actually try to practice real fighting rather than do it for fun.

There was nothing fun about combat.

What happened next he didn't expect. A very familiar person standing next to him. When he did spot her, he found himself unsure about how to react. Weiss carried her own sleeping bag, and she had changed into sleep ware that seemed to Jaune a bit too revealing like Yang's attire. So Jaune did the only thing that made sense: make eye contact with her.

"Weiss," he greeted, "Can I help you?"

"Actually," she looked nervous, "I was hoping that I could take this spot for the night if you're okay with that."

"Of course." Jaune looked confused, "Why wouldn't I let you?"

She looked dubious, but accepted. "I'm sorry. It's just that… I… it's harder to say it even though I've gone over it in my head so many times."

She spread her sleeping bag next to him and sat down, giving him side glances, but never meeting his eyes fully, like she was afraid of him.

"I…" she paused in thought. "I remember… that time five years ago. I never forgot that moment. I just didn't know who you were then. Until now."

Jaune had hoped she would put two and two together, and to his expectation, she did. He wasn't worried about her as a potential security risk. The story had already been covered up partially and those who did know were sworn to secrecy. Still, he was curious to know what else the girl would find out.

"It was one of my first fights against the White Fang," Jaune explained, thinking very unfondly of that day. "I've paid the price for my shortcomings with this."

He raised his right prosthetic hand. Weiss's face contorted into one of bona fide sorrow. She felt responsible for this injury. It was to be expected given that at the time she wasn't nearly as adept in fighting as Jaune believed she was now. He had put himself between her and danger. Her efforts weren't enough in her mind.

"I'm sorry for causing that injury," Weiss's face fell to her feet. "If I had taken my training more seriously sooner, I might've actually spared you that injury."

Jaune shook his head. "It's not your fault. I'm five years past that time. I've grown up, changed, as I'm sure you have."

"Yes. I have." The heiress's mood switched to one of eagerness. "Since then, as I've trained, I've thought back to that moment. You didn't even know who I was and yet you risked your life for me."

"It was the right thing to do, and it wasn't all for naught. You seem to have come into your own. However, I cannot help but think this isn't exactly part of your future as the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company."

"No." Her laugh was bitter, devoid of anything genuine. "My father disagree emphatically on this choice in career. My sister and I have a habit of going against his wishes."

Your sister. Jaune knew her sister well. Winter Schnee. And you're not the only one who stands to lose approval. How will General Ironwood respond to my next communication?

"I can't say I know what it is to go against your elders," Jaune spoke, "At least not yet. All I know and do is because of them."

"But despite all you know and do because of them," Weiss concluded, "You can't help but feel a need to break away from them."

"...yes."

No agreement or connection was made in words nor was it necessary. They had said everything in this conversation that had sparked a sort connection. Both Jaune and Weiss already felt more at ease with each other. Weiss stopped looking so apprehensive and Jaune stopped looking so guarded.

Then came the sound of noise across the room and to one's annoyance and to the other's amusement, the source of the noise came from Ruby and Yang. They were trying to interact with Blake. Likely, their efforts were not going according to plan.

"Those dunces," Weiss mildly spat. "Can't they see people are trying to sleep. It's common courtesy to not be this loud."

Jaune shared a somewhat similar judgment, but chose to vocalize it differently. "They'll calm down."

Weiss looked to him. "How do you know that?"

The heiress wouldn't sense it, but the blonde soldier was using his aura to reach out and create an invisible force that tugged at both the siblings, but yet wouldn't be felt by anyone else. They felt it alright as they looked around the room to try and find the source. When they eventually met his eyes, he gave them a knowing look, and they ceased to make noise.

"How did you do that?" Weiss looked a bit dumbfounded.

"Something I've learned myself over the years. Anyone can do it if they know how. If you want to learn, I can show you."

"If you'll have me," Weiss smiled lightly, "I'd be happy to learn. You seem knowledgeable."

 _If you consider that fact that I've been at war for five years and had six years of prior training, then yes. I do have knowledge._

One day, he might tell Weiss, but not this day.

"Lights out, bite sizes," a second year called out. "And good luck!"

"Good night, Weiss."

"Good night, Jaune."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Jaune had been up at least two hours before everyone else in the ballroom began to rise from their slumber. In that time, he had gotten another video log that was directly sent to General Ironwood with a detailed explanation along with his interview with Professor Ozpin regarding his entrance. That was the first fifteen minutes.

The next forty-five minutes was spent going over his own move set and how to dumb down his skills down enough to look like he wasn't a superior fighter compared to everyone else here. To reinforce his certainty, Jaune executed the moves, carefully going through them mentally. His makeshift move set was guaranteed to give him victory most of the time. There were purposeful weak points and missed blind spots. While creating these accidental cracks in his defenses, Jaune kept in mind what looked natural and what looked staged.

When that was over, he took to the cafeteria, gathering a glass of water and two pancakes. If there was one thing that Jaune could say that was positive thus far was the food. And to think this was just the beginning. Another fifteen minutes right there eating and thanking Nora Valkyrie, the upbeat little girl that reminded him so much of Penny.

He was now finishing up with his gear in his locker when he found Pyrrha Nikos, who was looking like she was getting ready as well. The girl who had no losses under her belt, or so the talk said. She was the pride and joy of Sanctum Academy, the undisputed best of the best, the girl who had everything: brains, brawns, and beauty. The first two Jaune could understand. The third had no place in a school training monster hunters.

Jaune wouldn't deny that the girl was stunning, but again, this was an outer appearance, one that he wasn't sure reflected who she was on the inside. Raven had taught and shown him that while someone may appear beautiful on the outside, it was the insides that he had to be worried about. Their intentions.

In any case, Jaune needed to gauge just how much of a challenge she was. Out of all the students that he had met thus far, Pyrrha posed the greatest potential opponent in single combat. One way to get an initial impression was to gauge how she first approached a person she'd never met before.

She still hadn't seen him, but he kept at least a meter of distance between the two of them. Crossing his arms, Jaune cleared his throat loudly. She spun around to meet his eyes, and when she did, there was only one thing that screamed in his mind: lonely. Whatever smile she put up paled compared to the smile of someone like Ruby and Yang. Even Weiss showed better smiles, and she was on the same ground as Pyrrha was. Certainly any average person would think she was being friendly. What wasn't so natural was the way it was forced. Jaune seldom smiled, and when he did, he recalled the feeling and had even looked at himself doing it. He knew a smile. This wasn't one.

"Sorry," Jaune spoke, "I just noticed you were the only one here right now. I figured that I should get to know you."

"That's...quite alright." She sounded distant. "I'm Pyrrha. Pyrrha Nikos."

"Jaune Arc," he responded in kind. "Nice to meet you Miss Nikos."

She smiled instantly when Jaune left out anything that may connect her with her status. And when she cheered up, it didn't take him long to know the reason. Like Weiss, Pyrrha's fame alienated her from normal people. Apparently it was enough that she was hopeful in finding someone who didn't know her as a celebrity.

Maybe it was the time of day for Jaune, or maybe he had overextended his nice attitude, but right in this moment, he wasn't about give the Spartan girl an easy way to obtain his friendship. What he was about to say next would either or make a friendship depending on how she chose to interpret it.

"It's unfortunate that you have to resort to things out of your control in order to get the friendship that you seem to want to so badly."

Keeping his face naturally controlled, he waited for Pyrrha to say something. Her frown had said much, but she hadn't turned away yet.

"So you know who I am?" She deflated quickly, and looked ready to leave.

"Of course I know who you are." He looked unmoved by her mood. "At least by reputation."

Pyrrha lost her sad face and she looked to Juane with wonder. Whatever response she had expected from him, it wasn't so. What was she expecting from him?

"That's it?" Pyrrha looked caught. "Nothing else? Nothing-"

"I know you by reputation, not personally," Jaune cut her off, "And to me, the only thing that matters is that you actually prove that you can fight. You are but a person who has skills in combat. That is all I see."

"What?" Pyrrha looked flabbergasted.

"At Sanctum Academy, you were in a controlled environment, where the rules are fair and there are no underhanded methods at play. You were the best in that arena, but the world does not abide by rules and the world will use any means to win."

"But without rules, we are no better than those who break them. That's why we're different from criminals and the Grimm."

Jaune stopped his monologue; her naivety was not something that he expected from someone as reportedly skilled as her. She truly believed in herself and in her own morals. Perhaps it had gotten her this far, but for how much longer would it endure?

It was time to end the conversation. "It has served you thus far, but take care that morality doesn't blind you to the reality that surrounds us all whether we acknowledge it or not."

Those were his last words to the invincible girl before he turned his back and walked to the cliff so he could get a head start at observing the forest. He was not able to witness Pyrrha's final reaction, and that was how he preferred it. Let her actions on the battlefield speak for her. Then he would know how to have a more productive conversation with her.

Ozpin would be at the launching site, and Jaune intended to have words with the elder huntsman. Potential teammates had already been spotted. Now to find out just how Ozpin intended to let team formations play out.

* * *

 **Long time no see right? Now I'm on summer break, which means I'll be working and getting ready for the next school year while trying to take at least a bit of time off.**

 **This is, to me, the most character-driven chapter yet. So many characters to write about and do it well. I hope that I conveyed everyone in a believable way. I had to rewrite this chapter many times.**

 **I've gotten this comment more than once from people concerning making Jaune OC or OOC. In a way, I have; in a way, I haven't. I say this because as I write this story, I have Jaune's ultimate core in mind while doing it. I believe that you can have a completely different person on the outside while having the same inside. If you're into the strictly canon characteristics of Jaune, then you're better off reading my story "One-Night Brand." That's a more faithful adaptation of Jaune's character.**

 **Don't worry Jaune x Yang readers. I'm working on "One-Night Brand" chapter 7 as I finish up with this. That story I feel is far too important to mess up. I can't rush chapters.**

 **So what did you guys think of this chapter? Good? Meh? Bad? Let me know with a review. As always, you're welcome to leave any additional comments and ideas.**

 **Finally, a special thanks to my new beta-reader, Blackhawksniper, for proofreading this chapter. Now that I've got another pair of eyes observing my work critically, I expect chapters to see an improvement.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading, and remembered:**

 ** _"To be alive at all involves some risk."_**

 **Harold MacMillan**

 **Peace out!**


	19. Chapter 19: I've Become the Hunted

Beta-Reader: **BlackHawkSniper** (Ideas & Grammar)

Chapter 19: I've Become the Hunted

 **Beacon Academy**

 **Initiation Day**

Blake Belladonna had gotten up relatively early, virtually ahead of everyone, as was per the norm for her. The White Fang had trained her to get more energy on less sleep. She couldn't say that it was the best thing for her health or that she cared for the habit, but it had kept her alive. Also, she was used to it at this point. The few times she could get a full night of sleep, she took full advantage of them.

But not today however.

When she rose, she took a look around to see the entire first-year hopefuls still sound asleep. She scanned only quickly though, because her focus was on one particular person. She somehow knew who he was without really knowing who he was if that made sense. He was the odd man out in this bunch.

Why?

He was the most dangerous out of all the students here.

For five years, he had continued to be the bane of the White Fang. Numerous times, he had caused much disruption to the Faunus organization's cause. But disruption wasn't enough for him though. He had been responsible for the death of hundreds of Faunus over the course of five years, and more likely than not, thousands. It was since then that the White Fang had designated their greatest enemy 'Dark Angel.' He fought what the Humans called a righteous cause, but to the White Fang, he was the worst of Humans.

But nobody really know who he was or why he was doing these things. Not like Blake knew him. Call it gut instinct or something else, but the Faunus girl knew who he was beyond his war with the White Fang. She knew him from his very first attack on her first real mission. He'd healed her, and for a moment, that showed her that perhaps he had a conscience. Ever since then, she'd seen so much death caused by him, and not only him. He had a partner. Both were responsible for so much that the White Fang was so determined to catch him dead or alive. He was worth more alive, but a dead enemy worked just fine as well.

The question was why was he here? What could a warrior of his caliber have to gain here? Blake had a few ideas, but with only her own instincts and what she knew, she had no way of knowing the truth for sure. Only rumors, speculations, things that shouldn't be used to judge a person. Blake wouldn't be like that. For now, she would be wary.

It would've been so easy to hate him for what he had done. She wanted to, but that would only prove Humans right. She had promised herself that she wished to see equality, not subjugation, and everyone deserved a second chance.

Perhaps even for a boy who killed without regret.

But that didn't mean she was going to forgive easily.

It didn't take her long to get ready and get onto the launch site. When she got there, she heard two voices talking. One she recognized as Professor Ozpin, and the other, she didn't know. She didn't recall anyone in her memories that sounded like this other person.

Before she decided to make herself known, she hid and tried to make out the conversation as best she could manage.

"So do you understand?"

"Yes, I do. I am not concerned."

There was a moment of silence, and Blake still listened.

"You seem a little on edge, Jaune. What troubles you?"

"Someone is eavesdropping on us."

"Ah. You sensed that."

Blake cursed under her breath. So much for stealth. She was going to have to reveal herself soon or later. Better get it over with and save herself the embarrassment.

Then someone went past her. It was Pyrrha Nikos, the celebrity. The red-head seemed to just ignore Blake despite the Faunus girl being in really plain sight. Regardless, Blake took this opportunity to walk behind the Spartan, far away enough to not appear to be using her as cover, but enough so that she couldn't solely be a target by Ozpin and this Jaune.

Then she eyed him, and her guard instantly went up. He didn't even give the two girls a look of acknowledgement. Only Ozpin cared to acknowledge their presence.

"Ms. Belladonna, Ms. Nikos, Good morning," Ozpin greeted them warmly, "I hope you are both ready."

"As ready as can be, Professor." Pyrrha laughed, but it sounded shaky, like she had seen something bad a short while ago. "I hope to impress."

Blake only nodded to greet the old man, and then her gaze returned to Jaune, the one person she was looking out for. He still didn't turn his head to greet her or Pyrrha. It didn't look like he was intentionally trying to ignore them. More like he didn't care or he wasn't interested in them. His eyes stared off into the forest.

It wasn't long before other students began to assemble. Blake stopped paying attention to Jaune so that she didn't come off as strange to anyone. The last thing she needed were people thinking she had some weird obsession with anyone. It just drew the wrong kind of attention, and Blake wasn't an attention-grabber.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"All of you have been training for years to hone your skills." Ozpin walked up and down the line of students, taking at least a few seconds to eye each of them. "Today, you will be using your skills in the Emerald Forest."

Jaune had already learned these instructions from Ozpin, but even as patient as he was, he still was more than eager to get this test out of the way. As far as he was concerned, he was already a student at Beacon. From what the old huntsman had informed him, finding teammates was but a simple task. It was the tasks after that which were the actual test.

One that he intended to beat handily.

So instead of listening to Ozpin talk about the initiation, Jaune was content to look out into the forest. As a shadow operative of the Atlas military, he already had access to very accurate geographical maps of virtually all of Remnant, and he could also determine concentrations of Grimm activity; should technology fail him, he could use his own semblance to sniff out the Grimm, in a manner of speaking.

The Emerald Forest was vast, nothing Jaune hadn't faced in his earlier years in Atlas, but it had been some time since he'd stepped foot into a forest for simply the purpose of searching for items and killing Grimm along the way. Instinct should kick in and he'd be on a roll in no time. The main concern was finding his teammates and locating Grimm hotspots where the artifacts were located. Each team was required to retrieve one artifact and return to the obviously exposed and highly dangerous extraction area. It was a trap and any intelligent Grimm would know it and attack.

Jaune looked to his left to see students being launched into air. He saw Ren and Nora take off in adjacency. He couldn't help but let the most minuscule of smiles on his face.

Then Pyrrha and Weiss. Pyrrha, he'd judge as he went on.

Weiss, as far as he was concerned, was someone he liked genuinely.

The bully boy, Cardin Winchester, was next, and he would require placating later.

Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose came after, one strange to him and the other naive.

"I see much of General Ironwood in you, Jaune." Ozpin sipped from his cup. "You should do well."

Jaune only had a moment to see Ozpin, a suspicious look adopted by the boy as he felt the air rush around him. Once he felt that he had reached the peak height, he mentally activated his rocket boots and his hand repulsors. All around him the forest was sounding with students as they landed. Some had grace, others had subtlety, and still a few had some flair.

Spotting a highly-seated tree, he cut off power and straightened his body to become as aerodynamic as possible. With only meters left to making contact, he adjusted his body to allow him to use the nearest branch as a guide to his next intended spot lower on the tree. From the first branch, it was a careful show of acrobatics, quick reflexes, and lighting-fast mental planning. His feet hit the ground of the forest with a thud.

Jaune reached for his battle rifle and held it in his hands. The other students had no doubt landed at this point. Given that he was slightly ahead of the whole first-year body, he would bide his time for now.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

Weiss held Myrtenaster in her hands; there were no Grimm to kill in her immediate vicinity, but she needed to be sure her weapon was in tip-top shape. Even the slightest malfunction could mean the difference between life and death.

Once she was sure she was ready, she began to make her way through the forest. She would never admit it, but in a forest, she was so out of her element. She was a city person, used to all the sights and sounds of a bustling neighborhood so full of life. Her life didn't afford her the luxury to go wandering around in the wilds much. Now Weiss was sure that she wouldn't find much enjoyment in it.

Grimm were sure to be nearby, and the heiress would be sure to put them down quickly and efficiently. As much as thinning the Grimm herds were useful, the objective remained clear: find a partner, then a team, retrieve an artifact, and get to the extraction point.

Although Weiss had noted many students who were viable partners, there was one in particular she wanted more than the others. It wasn't due to his skills, which she hadn't seen, or his quiet and evasive nature, which did make her ask questions. It was more about a sense that told her he shared many things in common with her, that he was relatable to her. She wouldn't go so far as to call him a friend, but he seemed her best shot as a friend.

Another thing that she noted was a lack of interest in courting her. While she did find people who flattered her, there were still a great deal that were extremely bad at it, some finding no point in courtship and asking for something she wouldn't give so easily. With him, he gave her a look, then either spoke like he meant it or didn't speak at all.

Of course the boy wasn't the only candidate for a partner in her mind. There was Pyrrha Nikos, the unstoppable girl from Sanctum Academy, a four-time champion, things that were very much esteemed accomplishments. Weiss couldn't say she knew the Spartan beyond a professional level, but the red-head appeared amicable, smiling and being friendly. With that girl, the heiress knew who she was dealing with, at least to a certain extent.

Weiss stretched out with her aura to see if she couldn't find any signs of life that weren't animals or Grimm. All the students were scattered across various parts of the Emerald Forest. Finding them could be easy or hard depending on where they were, their skills, and whether they chose to hide or not. Just several factors to consider.

A branch of a tree got in her face and with a huff, she carefully swatted it aside. The last thing she wanted to do was hit it hard. She'd learned what resulted when one swatted branches too hard. It was embarrassing and unbecoming of a Schnee to be toppled so easily. Navigating through a forest and trying to look somewhat pristine wasn't going well. Too add to the natural growth, insects swarmed her, either to try and bite her or to just irritate her. She held her arms up in a vain attempt to ward them off.

That was when she heard a noise that was not of the forest. It wasn't the sound of gunfire or blades, something that would be a giveaway to other students, but what it was, she had no idea. Her ears might just be playing tricks on her.

A rustling nearby had her reach for Myrtenaster and she held the blade in usual stance. She shut out every distraction she could just to focus on what she was doing now.

Remember your training, Weiss. Her eyes closed tightly, she let out a breath, then opened her eyelids. Foot forward, straight posture, head held high. Now to just wait for the precise moment.

Then there was silence again. There was no more rustling. Weiss kept her ears open for anything that sounded out of place as she warily moved along. The more time here, the less time she had to find a partner. This time, she kept Myrtenaster in-hand. She wouldn't be caught off guard like that again. Even if there was no attack made on her.

Then the noise she thought she had hallucinated came back, this time more clearly. It wasn't an unpleasant sound to her ears, but out of place? Now that she heard it distinctly, yes it was.

Weiss stepped out from a cluster of trees into a more cleared area, and looking around her, she could see faint traces of Grimm remains. Bending down to examine it, she found them to be still warm, which indicated that this Grimm was killed recently. Someone else had to be close by. Who though, still eluded her.

Then she saw what was highly unusual thing for Grimm. Beowolves on her left were charging, but it seemed that either they hadn't noticed Weiss, or something else had their attention. It wasn't like Weiss was exuding negative emotions, but surely they had to be noticing her. Still, her curiosity was piqued.

Following the fresh tracks left by the Grimm, she carefully kept herself out of plain sight. As she moved forward, the sound of something resembling gunshots echoed throughout the forest. She took a breath and then held it in. She wasn't afraid, but she was far from at ease. When Grimm were involved, better to strike first. In her determination to solve who was killing these Grimm, she failed to notice how the forest was slowly making her combat skirt more unkempt.

The she heard the sound of a Grimm crying out in pain. Then a blunt sound was received by her ears. It wasn't natural at all. Then in the distance she saw a Grimm being forced back, slamming into a tree. Weiss quickly hid behind a nearby tree.

Allowing herself enough visibility, she watched to see who it was. The sight of a long-sword being thrown and impaling into the skull of a Grimm made her tilt her head. The sword didn't remain where it was throw and soon returned back to its owner. Craning her neck further, Weiss saw what she recognized as the flash of aura.

Then she saw him leaping from Grimm to Grimm, his agility and reflexes obvious. He wasn't attacking them, because they were unwittingly attacking each other in their frenzy to kill him. It wasn't a completely unheard of strategy for the heiress, but it certainly wasn't one she'd seen in action before. She found herself watching very carefully as the Beowulf pack dwindled in numbers. When the last one stood, all it took as an impale through the neck. Black dust scattered to the wind.

He stepped down from the Grimm, looking at his handiwork. He seemed winded, and in that moment, she saw a Beowulf Alpha was on his six. He wasn't going to be able to react in time. Weiss activated Myrtenaster, summoned a simple ice glyph, and encased the Grimm in ice. She then propelled herself forward, smashing the ice-clad enemy into many pieces.

"Thank you, Weiss." His voice was ragged slightly, but his voice was genuine even so. "Your timing was most fortuitous."

"You're most… welcome." She felt that she hadn't heard a true word of thanks given to her in so long. "Most impressive, I see."

"An effective strategy." Jaune stood up, now looking like he'd just recovered. "But one that leaves me momentarily winded."

"Perhaps we can learn from each other." Weiss sounded hopeful, and she chided herself for letting herself open up so quickly. "If we're going to partners, then I want to know I'm contributing as much as you are."

For the first time in this conversation, he made eye contact with her. One eye a calm natural eye, the other a cybernetic eye, both emaciating a sapphire-blue color.

"Then let us begin." He motioned to the north. "This way."

He led. She followed.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

It hadn't been long since Yang had found the quiet girl named Blake. They had been trekking the forest in search of another pair. The blonde already knew that something was keeping the black-clad ninja on edge.

"You act like we're about to be ambushed at any moment." Yang squinted her eyes slightly. "There a problem?"

"None." Blake didn't face her, nor did she allow Yang to further question her. "Let's just find an artifact."

"You know we can't do that until we find another pair." Yang chuckled slightly at Blake's single-minded tone. "So unless you wanna get yourself killed, I wouldn't go running off."

Blake sighed a great sigh. "Sorry. I'm just… a bit frayed is all."

"C'mon partner. Spill." Yang nudged ever-so gently. "We're partners for four years. Might as well tell me what's the haps."

Blake gave her a look that said she wasn't quite as amused as Yang was. The brawler knew that look. Someone wasn't willing to give up their secrets. That didn't mean that they weren't going to give it up sometime.

"I'm just… uneasy around people." Blake wasn't a liar, but she wasn't about to say all for Yang to hear. "I've grown up pretty secluded from people."

"Ah, the strong silent type?" Yang did a bit of a tsk tsk. "That just makes things more interesting for me! You know, I find that girls can provide far more interesting conversation than most boys."

"Hm." Blake's response was lame, but did feel curious internally. "Why do you say that?"

"Eh, girls are just so much more braver than guys." The brawler looked to the ninja very carefully. "Women have this sort of braveness that few guys have."

Blake didn't know what to say to this. Surely Yang was exaggerating or maybe she hadn't seen enough people to gauge an accurate conclusion.

"Except Jauney Boy. That guy's… something else entirely." Yang's voice sounded very thoughtful. "Like another breed of guy entirely."

"Are you sure that you're not referring to his physique?" Blake knew that look when she saw it. "Not to mention that he's got… prosthetics."

"You saw those? Just adds another element. I wonder what that's like. I wonder what's under there."

Blake wasn't sure if she liked Yang more or less now that she knew that the girl approved of the person she didn't approve of. It was right for her to dislike someone when she tried to believe that everyone should be forgiven for committing terrible acts. Then again, to tell someone to forgive is less painful than actually doing it. Easier said than done, that sort of thing.

"You seem to be taken to him." Blake felt the need to make the remark. "Given that you know next to nothing about him."

"Uh, girl, where have you been your whole life? Out in the sticks?" Yang looked a bit taken back. "Guys like him are one in a million. Seriously, guy doesn't even so much as blink when he's talking to beautiful girls and guys. Just all… him."

"That made… some sense." At least Blake got the important parts down. "But don't you think you're liking him too much already?"

"Whaddya mean, partner?"

Blake knew she was walking a fine line right now. She wanted to make new friends, and her partner was the first potential friend, and the worst thing to do was alienate her partner now due to a difference of opinion.

"You've know him for how long? A few weeks?"

"Three to be exact," Yang replied.

"And in three weeks, you seem awfully close," Blake remarked, "I mean, you talk about him a lot."

"I'm not his girlfriend," Yang shrugged, "But doesn't mean I can't have a little fun with him. I mean, jeez, what are you? The dating police?"

Okay, the Faunus girl wasn't good at getting the hints across. Apparently, subtlety was something that Yang didn't know about or chose not to see. Should she just charge in with the truth? Would Yang even believe it?

"Are you… jealous?" Yang made sure to draw it out. "Is that why you're asking so many questions?"

"You're kidding, right," Blake refuted, "I don't know him. Why would I be jealous?"

"Denial, denial." Yang wagged her finger. "There are the signs."

"What?" Blake adopted a 'you're crazy' look. "No, I'm not in denial, and I'm not jealous, okay?"

Yang would've responded, but instead, she grabbed Blake and threw her to the side as an Ursa pawed at where the ninja once was. The blonde let out a cry, slamming her fist into the left eye before letting off a shot. The Grimm let out a roar as a part of its face was blown off, and it then collapsed, turning to dust.

"You're welcome." Yang blew at the barrel of Ember Celica.

"Thank you," Blake muttered, "And you might want to duck."

Blake aimed at Yang, and the brawler ducked, which allowed the black-clad girl to snipe the head off of Beowulf. Another Grimm faded into non-existence. She followed up by tossing Gambol Shroud in an arc which allowed her to decapitate two more Beowolves.

Yang whistled. "Nice one, partner. I think I've just figured out some sweet moves we can perform."

"Yeah, sure." Blake tried not to read too much into the words, but sometime reading certain… literature didn't help. "You're not too bad yourself."

"That's all you got for me?" Yang exclaimed, "I'm one of the best."

A distant gunshot made their heads turn to the source. Somewhere northeast. Blake tried to listen harder to see if she could know what sort of gunfire she was hearing. But only two shots rang out, not enough for her to determine much.

"This way." Blake pointed, "Sounds like someone else is nearby."

"Wait, we never figured out just how teams are formed." Yang put a hand to her chin. "Ozpin never gave instructions for forming teams, just partners."

"Then the answer has to be in this test." Blake answered. "It's not like he can give us the answer to all things. There are things we have to learn ourselves."

"Yeah, yeah, thanks for the advice, mom." Yang clearly didn't care to listen. "Just point me in the right direction."

This is going to be tough, Blake thought, But then again, did I expect differently?

Neither girls had any more words to speak to each other as they continued through the forest in search of another pair. Blake would've pegged Yang as the unusually chatty type, but it seemed that the girl could be quiet. How long that would last was anyone's guess.

The first sign of other students was the smell of freshly-spent dust. Blake knew how to identify dust types with years of practice at it. Right now, ice dust seemed to be most prevalent, and her thoughts turned to the Schnee Heiress, the one person that just exuberated all the qualities of ice: cold, untouchable, and pristine.

"I think I know who's been here," Blake reported, "If I had to guess, it looks like this was at least ten minutes ago."

"Can you find a trail?" Yang asked.

"Give me a moment." Blake's eyes observed the dust particles on the ground as well as the ice chunks scattered. "Eh… this way."

"Are you sure you're not a detective?" Yang inquired, "I mean, I'd be lucky enough to find anyone in any forest."

"Anybody can do it." Blake's reply wasn't completely attentive.

"So practice then? And the right guidance?"

"Yes."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Hey Pyrrha." Ruby looked to her partner. "Have you met Jaune Arc?"

"Blonde hair? Tall? One cybernetic eye? Prosthetic hands?" Pyrrha recounted all she had seen.

"Yeah, him." Ruby help her scythe loosely. "You sound like you don't want to see him."

"I don't believe I've made a good first impression on him." Pyrrha sounded almost ashamed. "He spoke of my skills as if they were useless."

"He does that to everyone. I wonder why." Ruby shrugged without another thought. "Ah, well. Must be in his nature."

That thought got Pyrrha's mind going. Everyone was guided by a nature. Most of the time, it was something developed over the course of years of exposure to a certain lifestyle. One normally didn't just act as they were because of some fluke or one single event. Traumatic events and enlightenments aside, most people had habits that became part of them which in turned shaped them.

So what compels a boy who should be, like any normal person, to be not normal? Pyrrha was certain that the boy would gawk at her as a great many did. Sure, he'd looked at her, but a quick glance, not even enough to really be considered a real inappropriate look. Pyrrha was sure that most people would spout meaningless words of praise. He offered her blunt and cold words, the first time anyone had ever done so.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Ruby asked, "Am I boring you? Are you dozing off because of me? I know, I'm terrible at conversation. I don't have any friends. I just wanna get through four years and not die. And I-"

Pyrrha realized that she had a partner now, someone who didn't want to worship her. Plus, Ruby was just a lot more friendlier than that boy Jaune was. Why was she moping over something like this? She was a four-time champion, a top-notch warrior. Who was he to judge her?

"No Ruby." Pyrrha shifted her focus back to the shorter girl. "I was just contemplating just how lucky I am to have you as a partner."

"Wow, um, thanks." Ruby did a slight double-take. "I just...wow. Thanks."

Pyrrha laughed. "No, I should be thanking you. So, onward then, partner?"

The two of them began to walk, neither of them not really sure which way they were going. The only thing guiding them were faint sounds of gunfire, indicators of other students. Whether or not this was the right direction wasn't certain. They still needed to find teammates, and so their search led them to follow these sounds like a moth to light.

"So Pyrrha." Ruby eyed Pyrrha weapons. "Is that a carbine-javelin hybrid you got there?"

"It certainly is." Pyrrha looked down at the weapon held in her hand. "It's a simple weapon, but it does its job well. I can't say that I've had many complaints with it."

"It's so light, efficient, and versatile." Ruby nodded her head eagerly. "So you're all about balance."

"That would be a correct assumption."

"So am I! Though my weapon of choice is much more complicated I guess. More moving parts, bigger melee, greater range."

"You seem to know an awful lot about weapons." The Spartan warrior found herself drawn into the conversation. "Much more so than most students care to describe in detail."

"Just my sort of thing." Ruby smiled nervously. "My friends back at Signal thought I was kinda nuts. So did my sister, Yang."

"Yang." Pyrrha let the name roll on her tongue. "The blonde girl with the...generous proportions."

"And doesn't she loooove to show off about it." Ruby rolled her eyes and groaned loudly. "I mean, c'mon guys can't JUST need those two things."

Pyrrha would've loved to agree with Ruby, but the problem was that barring Jaune, the invincible girl couldn't remember a time when a guy her age hadn't looked at her and not talked about her beauty and everything about her body. It was frustrating, even annoying. Of course she knew she was beautiful, but Monty Oum, couldn't they see something else in her?

"I suppose there's always someone out there." Pyrrha answered neutrally, trying not to lean one way or another. "We just have to meet them."

"With Jaune, Yang's going for it." Ruby giggled lightly. "The way she acts, you'd think she'd never seen a guy in her entire life. I mean, she's been trying so hard to get his attention, and he hasn't even so much as responded to her."

"So are you two his friend?" Pyrrha didn't want to ask about him, but the words had already slipped out. "He doesn't seem the type to be easily impressed by anything."

"I dunno. I guess he's our friend. In a strange sense." Ruby replied. "He listens to us, at least there's that. Come to think of it, he knows more about us than we know about him. Well maybe it's because we don't ask him. I dunno..."

Pyrrha hummed in response. A boy with secrets it would seem. And whenever secrets were abuzz, there was always the question of what those secrets were. The red-head couldn't deny that she was more than a little curious.

"So tell me about yourself." Ruby skipped a couple steps. "What's it like being...you?"

"Well..." Pyrrha paused in thought. What was it like being her. "I suppose it's complicated."

"It shouldn't have to be. I'm your partner, and I wanna be your friend."

The words were kindly received and very much down to Remnant, but Pyrrha felt apprehensive, uncertain, maybe even scared. She wasn't one to lie, but what would happen when they talked about who she was. There was no telling if Ruby knew who she was and wasn't talking about it.

Pyrrha collected herself. "Then how should we start?"

Ruby stopped walking, craned her head upwards. "Let's start with a simple greeting since we haven't even done that. Hello, my name is Ruby Rose. I wanna be your friend."

The black-haired girl held her hand out, and Pyrrha looked at it, her eyes flickering with hope. When was the last time someone had offered to just shake her hand as Pyrrha Nikos, a simple girl?

The taller girl took the hand, shaking it with a firm grasp. "My name is Pyrrha Nikos. It's nice to meet you Ruby, and I would love it if we became friends."

"That's the spirit." Ruby let go. "C'mon new friend. We gotta find more friends and kill some Grimm."

Pyrrha hefted her weapons. "Right behind you, Ruby."

It might've just been a trick of the light, maybe Pyrrha was seeing things, but the world around her seemed a much better place now. She felt light as a feather, confident, and happy.

A friend.

She had a friend. SHE had a friend. She HAD a friend. She had A friend. She had a FRIEND.

She would've shouted in joy if she didn't think it would be awkward. Maybe another day, she could do it when their relationship was in a more secure place, when more things could be said.

And she was determined to keep this relationship.

* * *

 **My most sincerest apologies for the delay. Between life right now and this chapter's slow progress, I feel like I've let you guys down. Although this story isn't quite as popular as some other stories I have, I write for this one more so because it's fun for me. Still, it's awesome to see that some people like this story as well.**

 **The romance aspect will soon be coming into play more obviously. That's what a lot of you want, and I'm getting to it real soon. I only hope to do it justice.**

 **So what do you guys think of this story? Good? Bad? Meh? Reviews are appreciated, even if there are things people point out that I already know.**

 **Special thanks to my beta-reader, BlackHawkSniper for working on this chapter.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter, and remember:**

 _ **"Opinions are made to be changed - or how is truth to be got at?"**_

 **Lord Byron**

 **Peace out!**


	20. Chapter 20: Higher Kill Count

Beta Reader: **Blackhawksniper**

Chapter 20: Higher Kill Count

 **Emerald Forest**

 **Beacon Initiation**

"Ow." The sound of Weiss's voice didn't escape Jaune's notice. "Not again."

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

He didn't have to be facing Weiss to know that she was having a hard time in the forest. Clearly she hadn't trained in wild environments. Her movements weren't efficient. Her posture wasn't flexible. Her attitude wasn't calm.

"Yes, I'm okay." He could sense strain in her voice. "Don't worry about me."

He wouldn't persist for now, because ultimately, it wasn't a problem. There weren't any Grimm around, and that meant traveling was much faster, not that they were going fast to begin with. They still had to find other teammates. By now, pairs had more than likely been formed. It was just a matter of finding another pair to work with.

He hadn't seen any of Weiss's skills in battle, so there was no telling what he was working with, even if his warriors intuition coupled with an experienced eye taught him to do some guesswork. Jaune was split between trying to find a perfect team and simply just working with what came his way. This entire test wasn't something he had much control of. It was only by luck that he and Weiss had become partners at all.

Jaune suddenly halted, his rifle now held more upward. He held a hand up, and Weiss's footsteps stopped. Good, at least he didn't have to tell her what that meant.

"Contacts." Jaune aimed into the bushes. "Ursai and Beowolves. I count at least eight. They're surrounding us."

The conscripted boy could sense Weiss's alertness, but didn't choose to comment on it. He would reserve judgement on her once he saw how she fought.

Jaune fired a burst into the bush, and was rewarded with the sight of ashes rising from somewhere behind the green lush. Another dove and tried to slash at his throat. Jaune, with seconds to come up with a move, purposefully ducked. Weiss was right behind him and he intended to see what she did.

She used what appeared to be a glyph of some sort to freeze the Beowolf in place before casually impaling the Grimm through the head. The dust scattered before the body hit the ground fully. Jaune, from his position on the ground took another shot at an Ursa, a burst blinding a medium-sized Ursa. Weiss's head whipped to the Ursa and she used her glyph semblance again, freezing the Grimm before charging, shattering it into pieces.

Sensing something on his six, the boy lifted his prosthetic arm to counter the strength of another Beowolf, tripping it in the process, getting up, and putting some shots into its throat. An Ursa was barreling down upon him, and he lifted both arms to engage in a pushing war. That only lasted for not even a second as a large ice splinted separated the head from the body. A Beowolf approached Weiss from behind. Realizing that he was out of ammo, he hefted Crocea Mors and threw the blade point-first into the eye of the Grimm.

Weiss's eyes followed the sword, and she only pushed the weapon further into the Grimm to make certain that it would die. Once she was sure it was so, she removed the blade, holding the blade in her free hand.

With a moment to breathe, Jaune moved to reload his rifle. The clip was barely slotted into place when he was forced to use the butt of the rifle to stagger a Grimm before letting a blast of aura energy through his palms. The head exploded clean off. After pulling the bolt and letting snap back into place, he quickly surveyed the area. Just ashes and dissolving bodies around them now.

And hopefully, he'd convinced Weiss that he was on par with her and nothing more.

"You fight well." Weiss stepped up and handed him Crocea Mors. "Very versatile if I do say so myself."

"You do too." Jaune meant it as a partial truth. "Although I do have to say, fencing styles have never really been used against Grimm."

"I suppose not." Weiss sheathed her weapon. "But it's been my standard fighting method for most of my training."

"Grimm don't play by rules." He gestured to the last body. "They kill, and whether you know it or not, they can get smarter. A word of advice: don't stake your life entirely on preconceptions and past experience."

He watched her, seeing if she would react and if she did, how she would react. He had to look closely in order to see the slight dimming of her eyes, the constant mouth movement indicating that she didn't know what to say, and hands locked together in front of her. She looked like she was trying to somehow cover herself, make an excuse, try not to show emotions. He felt like frowning, but he didn't

He didn't want her to do that either.

"It's not a requirement, Weiss." Jaune stepped forward slightly. "It's a suggestions. I've given my advice. Take or leave it however you like it."

Jaune wasn't fully ready to give Weiss any more caring. He wanted to help her, but she still had to prove herself to him. There were a great number of things he could've called her out on, but chose to remain silent about them, instead simplifying her combat shortcomings. Call it misguided emotions, dangerous use of emotions, or unchecked emotions, but the blonde-haired boy wasn't about to give up on her.

Again, another weakness, trusting in someone he didn't know well, even if his instinct told him to trust her.

The sound of more gunfire echoed. He couldn't waste anymore time, and they had to keep moving.

"We must go." He resumed their path. "The Grimm will have our trail by now."

"Of course." She sounded unusually complacent. "If you say so."

So maybe she was a little more emotional than he wanted her to be, but wasn't this exactly what he signed on for? These teenagers were civilians and warriors. Jaune was a warrior and nothing else, so he had no life to go back to. Sometimes, he wasn't even sure if he could have his own life if he desired it. However wrong and illegal it might be, he belonged to the Atlesian Council. He belonged to Atlas.

It was the wrong time to be debating his questionable position.

"I think there may be a water source somewhere up ahead." Jaune tried to fill the void with something. "We can rest and figure out where the closest pair is."

"How do you know that there's a water source coming up?" Weiss moved to Jaune's right side.

It was instinctive for someone to ask what they didn't understand, and the only reason he was even certain at all was that the geographical maps from his maps said there was a water source up ahead. Whether it was drinkable or not they would find out soon enough.

But he'd settle for a different response. "I've been noticing a fast-moving stream of water. I'd wager it leads somewhere, a larger pool of water."

"You mean that stream over there?" She pointed a finger.

"Yes."

Weiss picked up her pace "Do you think others will follow it?"

He shrugged lightly. "Maybe, but who knows? I will keep an eye and ear out as well for other potential spots."

"You certain seem at home here in the wilderness." Weiss sidestepped a rock. "Not at all what I would expect."

"It came with the training." Jaune spoke back to her. "If you cannot be adaptable, you will fail at one time or another."

That statement might've not held much meaning in this moment, but he did mean it and he was certain that he was going to have to hammer a bit of that into the minds of his future teammates. It was for their sake.

He'd also truncated the true extent of failure. The last thing he needed anyone to hear was that failure meant consequences that would motivate him to be better, not that he'd ever pushed his former overseer that far. He had too much respect for Jennings and Ironwood to simply just disobey because it was grueling training.

No, he wasn't normal, but that didn't mean he couldn't let others be so. It was his duty after all, to do what others were unable to do or were unwilling to do.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Chalk another one up!" Yang felt so alive when she was taking down Grimm. "Feeling the thrill!"

"Do you always make it a habit to be this rambunctious?" Blake emerged from a cluster of small trees. "Not that I don't appreciate the energy…"

"Just trying to keep up the good spirits." Yang pumped a fist into the air.

"Yeah." Blake was thrown for a loop. Then she saw something out of the corner of her eyes. "Hey, what's that over there?"

The two girls stood side by side as they looked on to see their discovery.

Down below was a large valley. It looked like a Grimm nesting site given the high concentration of Grimm in the valley. Small black streaks across green grass could be seen moving in rough formation. It was like looking at a plague infecting the very soil.

"Think this is what we're looking for?" Yang asked with a genuinely interested gaze. "I've never anything quite like this."

"Neither have I." Blake licked her dry lips. "There's no way we're going to be able to cut through all of those Grimm."

"Wow, you read my mind partner." Yang put an arm around Blake. "Go in, guns and blades blazing."

"Not quite." Blake grimaced a bit with the contact. "I think this is why we need to form teams."

"So we signal the others?" Yang crossed her arms in thought. "I think I might be able to do something about that."

The brawler began to reach into her belt to grab something. The disguised Faunus girl watched on as Yang took out a few of her shotgun shells from her weapons, then began to switch shells.

Blake cocked an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Hold on." Yang didn't look away from what she was doing. "Okay, let's just hope that this works."

Blake narrowed her eyes. "That what works?"  
Raising her right hand into the air, Yang fired off a shot. Nothing seemed to happen at first, until both girls looked into the sky to see that it wasn't a dust round, but rather a flare round.

"Hope somebody sees that." Yang leveled her fists. "Because we'll have Grimm incoming soon enough."  
"You sound worried." Blake brandished Gambol and Shroud.

"I'm good." The blonde did a final check on her gauntlets. "But even I'd hesitate against Grimm odds like that."

"Well, you'd better make your peace." Blake shifted her weapon. "Because we've got Grimm coming our way."

Yang used her gauntlets to charge forward, unleashed a combo of moves to take down the various Beowolves gathering. One uppercut, one point-blank chest shot, one in the mouth, three arm snappings, and a hell of a lot of noise. The brawler seemed to be really enjoying herself.

Blake followed up with cover fire, occasional slingshot attacks, and distraction attacks. Keeping her moves minimalistic, she never allowed herself to remain in place for more than a second or two. These Grimm were the easy ones to take down. The real challenge would come when they came in greater numbers. When that would happen was anyone's guess.

Another tried to get her from behind. Blake knew this tactic and sent a shadow clone to distract the Grimm before sending her sword into its eye. She only had inches of space between the next paw that tried to slash at her. The rush of wind as the strike missed her was followed up with a scissor kick to a Beowolf. Switching Gambol into a reverse grip, Blake impaled swiftly. Rolling back to her feet, she surveyed her surroundings.

Yang was attracting far more Grimm; no surprise there seeing as Yang was hardly being quiet about how she killed Grimm. Add that and a healthy dose of flashy moves and she was a living Grimm beacon.

 _What have I gotten myself into._ All this time, she'd been trying to avoid that other blond kid. And now, she'd traded him for… this. _Blake, you really should be careful what you ask for sometimes._

No time for regrets now. The Grimm were coming in full force, and now it was time to learn teamwork from her new partner.

Partner.

 _Not him. I can't. Not now._

"Hey! Don't be a stranger!" The sound of a shotgun caught her attention. "A little help would be nice!"

 _And getting use to that is going to take some time. Scratch that, it's going to take a lot of time._

Loud and proud seemed to be Yang's motto. To each her own, Blake suppose.

She weaved in a zig-zag to confuse an Ursa before taking it out. Another Beowolf brought out claws. She responded with Gambol parrying before slicing an arm off, then a head to top it off.

The next thing Blake did was to create two shadow clones to confuse two more Ursa that were closing in. As she predicted, the Beowolves went for the dopplegangers, and that was more than enough time for her to cleanly sever them into two parts.

Noticing that she and Yang were being separated, Blake began to sprint closer. Any distance between them now might cost them. With so many Grimm likely on the warpath, they couldn't afford to be divided now. As confident as the Faunus was in her abilities and as confident as her partner seemed to be, now wasn't the time for overconfidence. That was the downfall for many.

Blake was just in time to see Yang casually blow off the head of two Beowolves at the same time, their bodies dissolving into blackness.

"I am ON FIRE, BABY!" Yang shouted to the whole world. "Ain't nothing that's gonna stop me!"  
"Quite a sight." Blake tried to be nice, but found it a bit difficult. "Let's just hope your boasting actually means something."

"Girl, you don't know me well." Yang spun around with a wide grin. "I'm only the most interesting person you'll ever meet."

"Debatable." Blake countered calmly. "But we can talk more about it later. Right now, we catch our breath before more of them show up."

A moment of silence came over the two of them as they collected themselves as best they could. They were both still stocked with dust ammunition as well as still possessing a healthy percentage of aura. A bit of air in the lungs was also much appreciated.

It wouldn't last long though as both of them felt a chill in the air, followed closely by collective roaring from the valley.

"Wow, now THAT is a lot of Grimm." Yang whistled, her finger tracing their pathway. "And they're heading this way."

Blake took to her partner's left side, eyes moving all around to track the movements. There was a collective black wave of darkness against the bright colors of the world in front of them.

"That is a suicide run if I ever saw one." Blake didn't like the odds one bit. "Maybe a strategic retreat would be a good idea."

"No way, we can't back down now." Yang looked at her scroll. "The relic has to be somewhere here. Ozpin said it himself. Team effort."

"Then we should retreat and find another pair to help us." Blake tried again to reason. "We aren't enough."

"We're gonna have to be enough, because here they come now."

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Ren did you hear that?" Nora stuck her hand up to her ear. "Sounded like the sound of awesome!"

"Awesome doesn't have a sound, Nora." Ren replied in his even tone. "Haven't I told you that before?"

"Gunfire and crashing stuff!" Nora chirped back in response. "Those are examples of the sounds of awesome!"

Ren's lips tugged a bit at the corners at his partner and friend's insistence. Whenever the girl set her mind to something, there was no use to change it. Years of time with her had taught him that much about her. Not that he didn't know about such things when they were children; he was always a quiet child, never one to be a talker. It was part of the reason why he could impart wisdom to people about things normally not known to a teenage boy his age.

But for all of his knowings of Nora, one thing Ren couldn't pinpoint so much of the time was if Nora was this happy because this was who she was genuinely happy or that she had other reasons to be happy. Some might say that he shouldn't question his best friend's source of happiness just so long as she was genuinely happy. Ren disagreed with this assessment, as his connection with Nora was far more than what people perceived it to be. He didn't really mind that people misunderstood.

What he minded was that they were so sure they knew him and her as well as they thought they did. Nobody knew them like they did.

End of story.

"I still think awesome is a thing!" Nora bounced on one foot. "I mean, c'mon, you're awesome times ten!"

"That's entirely a matter of perspective," Ren asserted, a smirk on his lips. "But the thought is appreciated nonetheless."

Accepting this as happily as she could, Nora just hummed a little toon as they both strolled through the woods, with Ren being more alert to danger than his partner and best friend. They were exposed and easy to spot. They could travel through the trees, but that might reduce their own visibility.

"So Ren, what do ya make of the blondie?" Nora did another hum. "He seems a bit like you."

"So does that make him a good person?" Ren knew the answer, but he still asked the question.

"Of course!" Nora looked at him like he was asking a stupid question. "Anyone who acts like you in any way is awesome in my books!"  
"But what makes you think he's like me at all?" Ren asked back. "Certainly, he's quiet and thoughtful, but a lot of people have those things too and aren't like me."

"Call it a feeling." Nora shrugged her shoulder. "Looks like an awesome guy."

Ren grunted his acknowledgement of Nora's words, but they didn't tell what he was really thinking.

Ren knew how to look at a person and see them for who they were. It was a self-taught skill that had served him well in his life, and that skill was telling that while on the outside, that Jaune kid seemed fine, something told him that there was something much more… deadly behind that outer look.

Nora taking a liking to the fellow student wasn't a bad thing. Both of them could always use another friend as they didn't have many of those in their lives. With this one though, he wasn't sure how to approach it. A friendship was based on mutual trust, they both knew, but not everyone placed friendship in that definition.

Jaune, he didn't seem the type to want friends. He seemed the more lone wolf type, or he seemed the type to keep the company of a select few. If the latter was the case, then he earning his trust would be hard.

Ren was getting ahead of himself. They weren't teammates and they weren't friends. Both him and Nora were simple acquaintances to him. The time for deciding friendship would come later.

Nobody was nearby as far as Ren could tell. Although he wasn't using his senses to their absolute peak, he could "see" enough to be be able to alert Nora should the need arise. Because Grimm weren't truly alive like Humans and Faunus were, he would have to rely upon more conventional skills to keep a watch out.

That's when he made his first mistake that day. In his own musings, he had failed to keep proper track of Nora and she'd unintentionally given him the slip. Ren didn't wish to pin blame on Nora, but even he had to admit that her behavior could get her distracted easily; she was adult and could be serious when the situation called for it. That was something even people who knew her had a hard time believing.

Sighing to himself and banging himself with a metaphorical hammer, he gave chase, seeing that Nora had left a path that allowed him to follow, but she was one fast girl and even if he could find her path, that didn't mean he was going to catch her quickly. He just knew where she went.

Calling upon his senses, Ren made sure that he could find Nora's powerful aura presence in the thick of the forest. He was intimately familiar with her aura and he was particularly attuned to her presence. Finding her was much easier than finding someone he didn't spend as much time with, and it certainly helped that he and Nora had experimented with aura together more than a few times.

What did Nora find that was worth her attention.

Another student?

A clue to the artifact?

Grimm?

Whatever caught her fancy, he needed to make sure that she wouldn't go and do something too dangerous. That girl being who she was, she could sometimes overstep the boundaries. They both had enough scars to prove it, though not ones that anyone could see from what they were wearing now.

Those were scars for just the two of them to know about.

He heard an explosion, close if his ears were telling him correctly. That had to Nora and one of her grenades. He pushed his running speed to a sprinting speed. He needed to make sure that things were okay as they could be.

He expertly weaved through some tree branches in his path, leaving only a fraction of an inch between himself and the tree appendages. Years of training were now coming into play as he moved as fast as he could with obstacles to get around.

Another explosion, this one followed by another. Rapid succession fire of grenades had to be from Nora. The sound of the launching sounded like her weapon firing them.

Just let this be another of the girl's crazy joy rides.

"WOHOO!"

That was her alright.

Ren emerged into a slight clearing, seeing that Nora had already disposed of some Ursai and was currently trying to battle an Ursa Major. The smell of smoke and fire told him that she had already used her explosives to great effect.

"REN!" Nora called out to him. "FOUND ONE!"

"NORA!" Ren was genuinely frustrated. "WHAT DID I TELL YOU?"  
She ignored him in favor of the more pressing fight on her hands. Dodging a paw, she swung and landed a direct hit on the head, which caused the Ursa to collapse to the ground. It groaned in pain, then forced itself back up again, growling in a challenge.

Ren moved in and took some shots. If it were a lesser Grimm, it might've already been dead, but this one took the shots and managed to hit back. The green-clad ninja narrowly eluded long claws before digging the blades of his weapons into head, causing him to become an unwanted rider.

The Ursa began to swing all around in a bid to be rid of him.

Nora seemed enthusiastic

"No fair!" She cried out. "You get to ride a Grimm, Renny!"

"NORA!"

Refusing to let his weapons go, Ren continued to hold on, all the while being flapped around like a piece of paper in the wind.

Just what in Monty Oum's name was he doing? This was supposed to be Nora's spiel, not his.

His day couldn't get worse, he told himself.

 **(X)(X)(X)(X)**

"Is this water safe to drink?" Weiss stood next to her partner. "This is out on in a forest of Grimm."

Raising an arm, Jaune activated his wrist scroll to begin scanning for any sign of contamination. She watched this with fascination. She had only seen a few scroll models that were like this. There wasn't even a screen, but a holoprojector.

"The scan comes across as clear." He kneeled down to take a closer look. "And I do not see anything living in here either. That is a good sign."

The heiress watched as the boy splashed some water on his face and breathed in deeply. She looked at the water, then back to him. It looked like he was enjoying this brief moment of recharge. It was the first time she had seen him lose some of his seriousness, though he was still not without it.

More than anything, she wanted to enjoy the water with him.

"Is something wrong?" That was the second time today that he'd asked that. "You can rest for a minute. My senses are still active. No Grimm or students will ambush us."

"I don't know." Weiss regarded how she was dressed, a slight blush dusting her cheeks. "I feel that I'm not appropriately dressed for… I feel it inappropriate is all."

"You are here fighting in a forest full of Creatures of Grimm." Jaune shook some water off of himself. "You should be more worried about blood than of some dirt, Weiss."

Well now that he put it like that, she felt just a little bit embarrassed. He seemed to have this exceptional ability to make her rethink her logic, although that wasn't really what she meant, but better to not give him the idea.

Careful not to scrape her knees, she touched the water with her fingers, feeling the coolness against her skin.

It felt nice.

She then dipped another hand into the pool, lifted some water from the body, then splashed her own face.

The cool water felt so nice.

The two of them spent the next few minutes using the water to splash themselves or take some drinks from it with the help of Jaune's canteen. He drank some, wiped where his mouth had been, then passed it to Weiss, who accepted it with a small thanks, to which he nodded only.

After, Jaune had taken a sitting position with his legs crossed and his body leaning over the pool. He didn't look like he was trying to meditate.

Weiss hadn't seen much of his face during this initiation, but judging by how he talked, she guessed that he was just as neutral-looking as he sounded.

He hadn't even looked at her once the entire time they had sat down. Normally, people couldn't take their eyes off of her, and that annoyed her to no end. Now she was annoyed in a small way that he wasn't looking.

Was something wrong with her?

Did he lean towards the other way?

Did he not care about that kind of thing at all?

"You can look at me, Jaune." Weiss decided to be blunt. "I don't bite."

"I do not mean to ignore you." Jaune finally looked at her. "It's just that… you're a different breed of person from me."

That was something she had heard often, but the phrasing, to her ears, was more than what it appeared to be at first glance.

"What do you mean by that?" Weiss looked at her reflection in the pond. "What kind of person am I to you?"

"An angel." Jaune seemed to have already come up with a name for her. "A snow angel."

It could've been just another name to flatter her, to get her attention, but knowing what she did about her partner, the heiress assumed that he meant what he said. His words were so innocent and she wondered if even he knew what his words could be interpreted as if the wrong ears heard them.

"A snow angel?" She repeated his words so that she was certain. "Why do you think I'm an angel?"

"Because you are not just a normal person." He placed his hands on his knees. "You are the heiress to one of the most important companies in Remnant. Expectations upon you are many, too many for a normal person to burden. Your physical body has been deemed attractive, almost angelic, and I can understand why. In more simple terms, you are beyond human."

Weiss didn't like being called all these things. She was use to it, frustrated by it, but now it was for a different reason. No, she wanted a friend, not someone who thought themselves to be lower than herself.

"But I'm still Human." She felt her emotions rise. "Just as much as you are."

"I certainly hope you that you will never be like me in any way." Jaune laughed a robotic laugh. "I hope no one ever is like me."

She grit her teeth. Now she was to blame for putting words to a person that said person didn't want to hear.

It would seem that they were on equal footing now.

Jaune stood up, stretching his body in the process. Weiss followed his example.

"We should leave." He pointed his finger to a point on the horizon. "I think the temple is somewhere there."

She couldn't tell if he was simply avoiding the issue or if he just didn't want to waste more time, but couldn't stop her next words.

"I'm sorry about what I said." Weiss felt her courage tested for the first time in a while. "If I've offended you, I didn't mean it."

"Don't apologize, Weiss." Jaune sounded almost tired. "I don't need an apology nor do I want it. I understand what you said and I don't like you any less."

They were back on the path to the relics.

Weiss Schnee didn't know much about Jaune Arc, only the certainty that normal conventions of social interactions had mixed results with him.

Or maybe she herself needed to work on her delivery.

* * *

 **Whoops, guess what I forgot for months on end? Ah, shit, me and my schedules. My mother always tells me I should find some way to make my writing hobby into a career. I might actually listen to her.**

 **So my personal life aside, this chapter set down some groundwork for teams and character development. This will, in turn, make future chapters more integrated and intimate. You'll all know what that means later.**

 **Although Blackhawksniper wasn't able to beta-read this chapter, he's still the beta-reader for this story, so I'll give him credit and fix errors as I read them, so excuse any grammar problems.**

 **Finally, there's a poll on my profile page for future story ideas that I've come up with. If you're interested in seeing of those stories come to life, vote for your favorite. Just refer to the story descriptions at the bottom of my profile page for details.**

 **So what's the buzz? Are you guys happy that this story is still alive?**

 **I hope you all were entertained by this chapter, and remember:**

 _ **"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."**_

 **William Wordsworth**

 **Peace!**


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